Crafting Magic
by kgfinkel
Summary: Magic is more than just waving a stick and saying fancy words. Magic is about life and art. Magic is about the people one chooses to interact with. An artistic Harry Potter decides to live up to his last name and begins to craft some wonderful pottery and ceramic creations. At age 11, he discovers that not only is his work magical but so is he!
1. Prologue

**Crafting Magic: Prologue**

**Summer before Year 1: Dursley Residence, Little Whinging, Surrey, UK**

It was the start of the summer holidays for one ten-year-old Harry James Potter. Three months of no homework, schoolyard politics and annoying teachers! Yay! After rising from bed and going through his usual morning routine, he shuffled down the stairs and into his relative's kitchen to fix his breakfast and to think about what sort of projects he had lined up to accomplish.

As he sat there sipping on a cup of tea and scooping a spoonful of porridge into his mouth, he glanced at the written list of topics he wanted to explore.

_'Hmm…Let's see. I got that book from the library on those pottery glazes. I think I have enough of the copper sulfate powder. If not, then I can use some copper mesh instead. I've been wanting to get into raku firing for a while now…'_

After putting away his dishes into the sink, he grabbed his favorite straw hat and headed out to the backyard.

* * *

Later in the morning, Harry's uncle, Vernon Dursley came ambling into the kitchen looking for his own breakfast when his ears detected the relatively quiet whirring of an electric motor and a radio playing something vaguely like rock and roll coming from the backyard. He peered out the window and spotted his nephew busily shaping a lump of bluish clay on a motorized potter's wheel. The faint notes of burning wood alerted him to the kiln just off the main path slightly smoking.

_'Glad to see the boy has something in the works for the summer. I think I'll go out in a few to see what he's got lined up. I'm in need of a new coffee mug for the office.'_

* * *

An interesting thing to note about the living arrangements between Harry Potter and his relatives. He'd been living with them since November first of 1981. Now one might wonder why that was and the truth behind it is a sad tale indeed. A terrorist that had been rampaging up and down the English countryside for nearly a decade had murdered Harry's parents. Why he targeted the Potter family was up for debate but the end result was that elder Potters, James and Lily, were murdered while fifteen-month-old Harry was attacked, still in his crib. What happened after that was also open for speculation, no one really knew what occurred other than baby Harry receiving a wicked looking scar on his forehead while the terrorist lost his life.

When Harry had been rescued from the wreckage of his childhood home, he was placed into the care of his maternal aunt and uncle by a rather unusual individual by the impossibly long name of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. There had been a short letter attached to the basket that Harry arrived in stating that the boy was entrusted into their care, that contact and communication from his parents' world would be minimal at best and that someone would be coming to collect him when he reached the age of eleven.

Harry's aunt, Petunia Dursley nee Evans, had been incensed when she read the letter. _Not even an apology for intruding into their lives and not one condolence about the loss of her sister!_ She and Vernon had had a long discussion about what to do. Vernon was at first, all for leaving the toddler at an orphanage while Petunia, still enraged at the magical world for murdering her sister and leaving her the boy without even offering support on how to raise a magical child, was in favor of seeking out another magical family and leaving him there. When asked whom she had in mind, she remembered that there was a magical boy who lived near them in Cokeworth, Severus something.

However in the end, when Harry had woken up crying, Petunia went to him to see what the problem was. When she gazed into his sad, green, oh-so-familiar eyes her heart broke and tears began to fall as the reality set in that her sister was really gone. She picked up the boy and cuddled him while she swore to herself that they would raise Harry to be a perfectly ordinary boy and not tell him about the world that his parents had come from.

What world you ask? Why, the _magical _world! That's right; James Charlus Potter and Lily Marie Potter nee Evans were a wizard and a witch, respectively. Harry had shown early signs of being a wizard as well and would've continued to show evidence every time he became emotional if not for the concerted and inspired efforts of Vernon and Petunia. They had figured out early on that if Harry were given something artistic, be it a crayon and a piece of paper, a set of blocks or even just a lump of mud; his magic settled right down and he was a happy camper.

* * *

Another interesting, yet somewhat odd thing to note about the living arrangements Harry had whilst living with his aunt and uncle, was his bedroom. One might think that he had one of the nicer rooms upstairs but no, his room was a converted space under the stairs. It had started life as a cupboard and Vernon had not so kiddingly suggested that they keep the child there. After both adults took some time to get used to the idea that they had another child in their midst and took some time to actually cuddle and hold Harry, plans were being made to turn it into a playroom for both Harry and their son, Dudley.

As it turned out, Dudley was less than interested in the playroom under the stairs whereas Harry loved it. When he turned five, Vernon decided to go all out and rebuild it into a proper room with a comfy child-sized bed, space to hang clothes, a reading light with easy to reach bookshelves and it's own door with picture window and curtains. The walls were originally painted a pastel blue that ended up having fluffy white clouds painted in by Harry himself.

When Harry started bringing friends over to play, the other kids thought he was _'so awesome'_ with his living arrangements. Their parents had wondered but didn't step in seeing as how comfortable everything was.

* * *

Harry heard the footsteps of his approaching uncle as his hands and fingers manipulated the soft clay as it spun around on the potter's wheel. He leaned his weight into getting the clay centered so it wouldn't flop around before easing off and dipping his fingers into a nearby bowl of water to moisten them. He then pushed into the center of the mass and applied upwards pressure while simultaneously pressing and guiding the clay with his other hand, the walls of the piece flaring out before rising to about a foot off the table.

He dipped again into the water and continued to shape the clay walls to the desired thickness and shape before slowing down the speed of the motor. His fingers applied a bit of pressure to the lip of the piece causing the edge to flare out and then back up. Stopping the wheel entirely, he picked up a skewer and poked a concentric ring of holes into one face of the sloping cylinder.

Harry then turned to the side bench where he had a couple of thin slabs of the same clay waiting to be shaped. He picked up a cone-shaped block of wood and shaped one of the slabs around it, smoothed off the seam line then removed the wood insert. He returned to the wheel and using a small brush applied a bit of the clay slip to the rim of the newly made spout and attached it to the side of the pot. Once he made sure that it was secure and the edges smoothed out, he teased the tip of the spout into a bit of a downward flare.

Next step was to attach a handle to the body of the pot. He leaned back in his chair and contemplated whether or not to use a wire handle or to go with a clay one. He glanced at his uncle, who'd been standing there and watching the process quietly and gestured between the two options. Vernon silently gestured to the clay handle but then quietly suggested the cork wrapping to go along with it.

Pursing his lips in contemplation and deciding to go along with it, Harry pulled out a length of clay and began shaping the handle manually. He stretched and twisted the clay until it was the desired thickness as well as achieving a slightly spiral structure to it. A flat section where the hand would naturally rest was smoothed in. This is where he would attach the cork wrapping.

Harry finished the teapot assembly with an application of a couple of leaves with a spectacular ribbing and pressed them into the walls then lifted it off the wheel to dry before putting it in the kiln. He quickly shaped a small leftover bit of clay into a lid for the teapot and put it aside as well. After examining the pot one last time, he removed the leaves and nodded to himself. He then cleaned up his workspace and leaned back in his chair before looking up at his uncle again.

"Thanks, Uncle Vernon, for the suggestion."

Vernon nodded, "Not a problem, Harry. This one going to be another teapot? When is it going to be ready?"

"Yup, probably tomorrow. I got another batch of stoneware ready to go in a few minutes. You want to help out with that?"

"Sure, what do I need to do?"

Harry rose from his chair and checked on the status of the kiln's fire. He noted that the temperature within the firing chamber was close enough to the proper levels, so he opened the lid and grabbed a pair of heat-resistant gloves and motioned for his uncle to grab a pair as well.

"What I'll need you to do is hand me each of the pieces so I can load them in. Remember to be gentle with them."

* * *

Once the pieces to be fired were loaded in and the kiln's flue was properly directed to the main chamber, Harry took off the gloves and headed into his pottery shed. He took a drink of water from a glass sitting on the bench, adjusted the volume of the radio and glanced around at his inventory. Vernon just peeked in from the door, as there wasn't room enough for the both of them at the same time.

"What's next on your project list? More dishware?"

Scrunching up his face, Harry contemplated this, "I was thinking more of a sculpture, maybe an animal shape. Just not sure what though."

"Well, how about another one of those whimsical luminaries that your aunt loves so much?"

Tilting his head in thought, Harry contemplated that and agreed that it would be just the thing to keep the creative juices flowing without bogging him down too much.

* * *

By the time that his aunt and cousin, Dudley had woken and began making noise in the kitchen and living room, respectively, Harry had completed a nesting set of luminaries ranging in size from just large enough to hold a single tea light, all the way up to one large enough to hold a six inch tall by three inch diameter candle for his aunt and a veritable herd of elephant shaped planters and cupping hand planters for the local farmer's market that had been advertised in the paper.

The luminaries were to be given various metallic glazes that would accentuate the flickering flame light while the elephants and hands were done in a soft, natural finish with subtle highlights caused by the components of the clay.

Petunia gazed out into the backyard while sipping on a cup of tea; where she spotted her nephew busily working on his earthen creations while her husband was busy with repainting the back fence. She smiled to herself at the tranquil, domestic scene playing out for her.

Little did she know that all that was soon to end come three days before July 31st


	2. Chapter 1

**Saturday 27 July 1991 Dursley Residence**

It was just after eight in the morning when Harry finally dragged himself out of bed, grabbed a change of clothes and headed for the shower. While he was drying himself off, he paused and cocked his head and peered around the bathroom. Everything seemed normal but he had the weirdest feeling all that was about to change. Still puzzled, he shook his head and finished getting dressed.

Harry thumped his way back down the stairs and back into his room to put away his pajamas. The weird feeling persisted and he briefly wondered if it was the lingering result of what had happened when they went to the zoo to celebrate Dudley's birthday.

'Nah, it couldn't be. That vanishing glass was a figment of my imagination. Granted it was like magic, but I know that magic isn't real.'

Again, he shook his head hoping to dispel the bizarre feelings. He left his room and headed into the kitchen where his aunt was busy making breakfast.

"Good morning, Aunt Petunia."

"Morning, Harry. Did you sleep well?"

Shrugging, "Well enough I guess. I've been having a rather odd morning though."

"Oh? Odd in what way?"

"That's just it, I can't really describe it. It's just a feeling that something odd is going to happen today."

Petunia paused in her stirring of the porridge and gazed at her nephew, "Well, here's to hoping it's nothing dangerous. On a separate topic, what do you have planned for today?"

Sighing, Harry mentioned that he had some glaze jars that needed to be refilled, there was that statue in the front yard that needed to get repaired and he was also going to help Uncle Vernon test and replace the sprinkler heads if necessary.

"I also wanted to get a start on experimenting with that polymer clay I got the last time we were in London."

Petunia nodded throughout and placed a bowl of porridge in front of him then kissed him on top of his head.

"You're a good boy, Harry." Harry just smiled in response.

* * *

When the others assembled for breakfast, the sounds of the weekend mail delivery were heard. Vernon grunted to Dudley to go get the mail, who in turned groused that he just sat down. Dudley poked Harry in the arm and demanded that he go and get the mail. Harry grumbled that Dudley was being a lazy bum but still got up and headed to the front door. He picked up the stack of letters and flyers and began idly flipping through them.

'_Bill, bill, postcard from Aunt Marge, letter to me, adv…Wait! A letter to me?'_

"Hey, Harry? What's taking so long to pick up a couple of letters," Vernon loudly complained.

Blinking his eyes and clearing his throat, Harry scrambled back into the kitchen where he dropped the rest of the stack in front of his uncle and plopped back down onto his chair. Dudley leaned over to read what was written on the oddly colored and textured envelope.

"You got a letter? Who from?"

"Dunno, wait there's something written on the back." He turned it over and read out loud that the letter was from some place called 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.'

It took a moment before Harry realized that the room was completely and utterly silent. He glanced up and reared back when he spotted the looks on his aunt and uncle's faces. Both were bug-eyed and slack-jawed, Vernon turning a puce-sort of color whereas Petunia had paled dramatically.

"Um… Are…are you alright?" he stammered nervously. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon _never _reacted this way. Petunia was the first to partially recover the power of speech.

"Y-yes, Harry. Sorry about that. Ahem, well Vernon… I think it's time to tell him."

"Tell me/him what?" Both Dudley and Harry asked at the same time. Despite the seriousness of the moment, they both chuckled at the stereo-speaking.

Petunia sat down in her chair and took a moment to collect her thoughts. Vernon had gotten up and retrieved a glass of his favorite whiskey before settling again. The fact that he'd gotten the whiskey out this early in the morning didn't bode well for the coming conversation in Harry's mind.

"I guess there's no easy way to say this, Harry but… you're a wizard."

Silence reigned…

"A _what?_"

Petunia nodded morosely, "Just what I said: You're a wizard. Just like in the storybooks. You'll have to go to school to learn how to do the spells and whatnot. Your mother and father were magical as were your father's parents. My parents weren't and neither am I much to my sadness and a little bit of bitterness."

Thinking hard about what she had said, Harry wondered why they were just _now_ telling him about this.

"Well, think about it Harry. If we had told you from the beginning and you _didn't _get your letter; what would you be feeling right about now?"

Harry hemmed about that before nodding, "I guess I'd be feeling rather upset as well." He held up the unopened letter, "You think I ought to go to this school?"

Petunia nodded, "Yes, I do. Your parents would've wanted you to go anyways and besides, your education there was all paid for since before you were born."

Harry glanced down at the envelope that had his address. _'Strange how specific it is.'_ "Alright, Aunt Petunia. I guess I have no choice. Uncle Vernon? Are you alright?"

Vernon had been sitting there quietly, slowly sipping away on his whiskey. When Harry asked about his feelings on the matter, he replied that he too thought Harry should go to this school.

"I had a feeling that you'd be able to go there. Petunia and I had agreed to keep our knowledge of the magical world to ourselves until you either got the letter or received a visit by one of those folks. As it is, we really don't know too much other than it does exist. After you read that letter, I recommend you send a reply back asking if they would send someone out to help you on where to go."

Harry opened the letter and pulled out a couple of sheets of a strange kind of paper.

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class; Grand Sorcerer; Chief Warlock; Supreme Mugwump, International Confederation of Warlocks)**

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_ We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find an enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress_

"My owl? What does that mean?" He wondered out loud. Petunia quietly grunted into her tea.

"That's their version of mail delivery. Trained owls deliver letters and packages."

Harry gave a perplexed look for a moment and shook his head in mild derision, "Weird, I guess. So how would someone like us be able to _find_ said owls?"

Petunia gestured to the door, "Go check outside, up in the trees. Maybe the owl that delivered the letter is still waiting."

* * *

As it turned out, there was an owl sitting on a low branch on the nearest tree staring patiently at the Dursley residence when Harry stepped out front.

"Um… would you like to wait for a response there or would you like to come in for a moment?" he inquired, feeling rather stupid talking to a bird.

The owl quietly hooted and just settled down on the branch, to which Harry understood that it would wait there for his response. He dashed back inside and scratched out a quick note of acceptance and a request for a guide to take him to wherever he needed to go. Racing back outside, he slipped the note into a pouch attached to the bird's leg and watched as the feathered deliveryman, er…bird flew away.

* * *

Harry reentered the house and picked up the rest of the letter, envelope and the other pages within from the kitchen table before heading back to his room. He settled down on the bed and began to read the rest of the letter.

The first was the supply list:

'_3 sets of plain black work robes, one plain black pointed hat, one pair of protective gloves…' _"Dragon hide, are they kidding?" he exclaimed, "The clothes sound like something from a Halloween costume store. Hmm, I wonder if it would be cheaper to get them _from_ a costume store? Well, I'll find out when the guide comes." He noted that there was nothing about regular clothes to be worn underneath these robes. _'I guess they figure that the kids' parents would realize the obvious.'_ He shrugged at that last bit.

Next was the book list:

"Let's see, _'The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1,' 'A History of Magic…' _Neat, actual books on magic."

He wondered why there wasn't any mention of how he was supposed to store and carry all his belongings. Shaking his head in mild amusement, he supposed that it should be obvious except to the dimmest person that a trunk or suitcase of some sort would needed to be obtained.

Sighing, he flopped back onto his bed while re-reading the letter. He flipped through the pages before coming to a dawning horror, _'How am I supposed to pay for all this?'_

He bounced out of bed and ran into the living room where he found his aunt and uncle watching the news. Petunia briefly glanced at his entrance before taking deeper note of his flushed state.

"Harry? Is there something wrong?"

Flustered, Harry handed her the supply list, "How am I supposed to pay for these things? I can't expect you to pay for them, it wouldn't be fair. Do you know if my parents left me anything?" He blurted this all in a rush.

Vernon held his hands up, "Slow down, Harry. This would be something to ask that guide who will be coming by to take you shopping. I've got to believe that your parents would've left you with something to buy your first supplies. If they didn't, the school probably will have some sort of charity program for those that need it."

Petunia had motioned for Harry to join her before wrapping her arms around him, "It's sweet of you to think of others. It shows that we've done something right in raising you."

* * *

**Wednesday 31 July 1991 Dursley Residence**

July 31st dawned clear and bright and promised to be a spectacular sort of day with sunny skies and warm weather. Harry burst out of his room, all full of energy and spunk. He wondered what his aunt and uncle were going to be doing for his birthday. True, he never wanted anything grand, he just wasn't materialistic that way, but some presents never hurt anyone.

He slid into the kitchen and threw his arms up in the air as he exclaimed, "THAT'S RIGHT, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! IT IS I, HARRY JAMES POTTER AND I'VE TURNED ELEVEN YEARS OLD TODAY!"

Loud laughter exploded from the kitchen as his cousin and uncle were practically falling out of their chairs at the sight of Harry standing there gesturing exuberantly in his cowboy pajamas and teddy bear patterned sock covered feet. Petunia too, was laughing but more restrained since she was trying to carry a plate of pancakes and sausages over to the table. She gave him a quick kiss on his cheek and chuckled again.

Harry happily plonked down onto the chair and began pulling over the plate to serve himself some breakfast. Vernon managed to contain himself as he cleared his throat and wiped his eyes.

"Beautiful, Harry. Thanks for the morning show." Harry just grinned widely as he chewed on his pancakes.

* * *

After breakfast, Harry and the Dursleys gathered in the living room so Harry could open his presents. For his eleventh birthday, he got quite a haul: a set of smart looking clothes from Petunia, a book on Asiatic pottery making practices from Vernon, Dudley had gotten him a case of small mason jars. When Harry glanced up at his cousin at the sight of the gift, Dudley had shrugged and commented that he had noticed the jars his cousin was currently using were in desperate need of being replaced as most of them were cracked or chipped. Each of his friends had sent him a card, a couple were handmade, and apparently they had teamed up to get him a 100 pound gift certificate to the local art supply store.

After thanking each of them, Harry went to go grab some stationary to write thank you letters to each of his friends for the wonderful gift and cards. After that was done and put out to be mailed, he headed back out to his pottery shed to continue working and experimenting.

He clicked on the radio and tuned it to play something upbeat. The sounds of Aerosmith blasted out across the backyard as he began humming along with the song. He dug out an old, dingy box of broken pottery and using a pair of tile clippers, continued to chip away at the pieces. Once he figured he had enough to get started, Harry hoisted a blank concrete birdbath bowl onto the table and went in search for his bottle of waterproof epoxy.

* * *

It was around eleven o'clock in the morning when he noticed a positively _huge_ shadow fall over his workspace. He looked up…and up again to see that there was a man of gigantic proportions standing there looking into the backyard. When the man spotted Harry, he beamed happily and waved.

"Happy birthday, Harry! It's been a while since I saw you last, you weren't but a wee baby then."

Harry could only stare back at the man, he seemed just too…big, to be real. He had bushy, wild looking brown hair and beard, beetle-black eyes that had a bit of a twinkle to them and a large, toothy grin on his face. His clothes seemed to look like they were animal skins roughly sewn together. Altogether, he appeared to have walked out of the woods from an adventure novel.

Remembering that the man had greeted him, Harry cleared his throat and said 'hello' back.

"I'm sorry for being so rude, I've just never met anyone so tall before."

The man waved that off, "Nah, it's no problem. I'm here to escort you for your shopping and introductions."

Harry slowly nodded acceptance of this, "May I ask what your name is?"

The man looked a bit chagrinned, "Right, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Rubeus Hagrid though everyone just calls me Hagrid. I'm the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts. I suspect you know all about Hogwarts, right?"

Harry briefly shrugged, "Not too much. My aunt and uncle didn't see the need to tell me until I got my letter."

Hagrid looked incensed at this.

Harry continued, "I can understand why they didn't tell me earlier, Hagrid. They told me that it would've made me bitter and angry if I'd been told and never got the letter to go."

Hagrid scoffed, "Like the son of James and Lily Potter would've never gotten his letter!"

Harry told Hagrid to wait while he grabbed his jacket and informed his relatives that his guide was there to take him shopping for his school supplies.

* * *

_**At Charing Cross Road…**_

Interestingly enough, Hagrid and Harry didn't travel magically. Hagrid had mumbled something about not being allowed to perform magic outside of Hogwarts. They took the Underground to Charing Cross Road and made their way on foot to the magically hidden entrance to _The Leaky Cauldron._ Harry had asked why no one else was able to see the pub to which Hagrid had explained that it was hidden away from muggle eyes. This led to further questions as to just _what_ was a muggle. Harry didn't really like the way the term sounded as it made the non-magical people seem like country bumpkins but he kept the thought to himself.

They crossed through the barrier separating the outside from the door to the dinghy pub without too much trouble. Hagrid had spoken with the bartender that he couldn't stay for a drink as he was 'escorting young Harry here to get his school supplies.' This caused the few people that were in there to turn sharply and stare at the pair of them. Harry tried to hide behind Hagrid and loudly suggested that they leave before they were mobbed. Hagrid looked abashed as it became clear that the crowd of well-wishers were getting a bit pushy and noisy.

"Sorry about that, Harry. I didn't realize that folks might've reacted that way," Hagrid apologized.

"It does seem strange that I'm such a fascination to them. I'm just an ordinary boy."

Hagrid eye twitched a bit, "Well…that's not exactly true. Look, when we get a bit of time I'll try to give you a bit of background about your popularity." Harry accepted that and turned to face where they'd exited to.

They'd left the back of the pub and into a trash littered backyard when Hagrid pulled out a pink umbrella and tapped a specific sequence onto the brick wall. The bricks melted and reformed themselves into a fancy looking archway.

Hagrid turned and looked down to where Harry stood with his mouth wide open in surprise, "Welcome, Harry, to Diagon Alley!"

* * *

Harry's head was practically on a constant swivel as he and Hagrid made their way down the alley. His eyes were swinging in just about every direction as he attempted to see everything. There was a shop that sold cauldrons of just about every size and type of metal. There was a clothier that had a manikin displaying the latest in robes. What made that amazing was the manikin would occasionally shift position! Harry spotted a shop that touted the latest release of some sort of high-end brooms for a sport called, 'Quidditch.'

'_It's like something out of my fantasy novels! This place is amazing!'_

Harry caught up to Hagrid and tugged on his sleeve, "Hagrid? How am I supposed to pay for anything, I seriously doubt they take Sterling."

Hagrid pointed to a large, white marble building decorated in a quasi-Greek style architecture, "We're headed to Gringott's, Harry. Your parents would've left you with what you'd need."

As they approached, Harry spotted a pair of stout looking beings wearing gleaming armor and carrying wickedly sharp looking pikes. As they climbed the stairs, the beings bowed to them. Not knowing what else to do, Harry returned the bow much to the surprise on the guard's face.

Once inside, Harry again tugged on Hagrid's sleeve, "Sorry to keep bugging you, Hagrid but who are these…people?"

Hagrid chuckled good-naturedly, "They're known as Goblins, Harry. Fiendishly clever beings and downright scary when it comes to making or safeguarding money." Harry looked surprised at that but didn't doubt it when he saw the wicked claws on some of the tellers' hands.

They stepped up to the closest available teller when he called for them to approach, "Hello, Mr. Harry Potter here wishes to make a withdrawal."

"And does Mr. Harry Potter have his key?"

"Huh, hang on; I got it right here." Hagrid began rummaging around in his jacket.

Harry moved up to the counter and bowed, "Hello, sir. Would it just be easier for you to issue me a new key rather than waiting for Hagrid to eventually come up with it? I'll pay for whatever the fee is."

The teller's eyes widened a bit at the politeness coming from the young wizard and nodded slowly, "I can… it will cost you two Galleons."

"Um, sure. Next question, what's a Galleon?"

The teller gave him a wary sneer, "Are you _sure_ you're a Potter?"

Harry shrugged, "I answer to the name, so I think so. Is there a magical way to check?"

"It will require a bit of your blood, wizard."

"Um, ok. As long as you don't take it using one of those wicked looking pikes the guards are holding."

The teller just laughed at that before taking out a small dagger and pricking Harry's ring finger. He dropped the blood onto a piece of parchment which then glowed a gold-ish color before fading away.

"Indeed you are a Potter, Mr. Potter. Here is your new key, make sure you don't lose this one as well. I will send your account manager a message that you are here and need to speak with him."

Hagrid looked a bit upset at that, "Hang on now, I'm to be taking him around to buy his school supplies. Dumbledore wouldn't be happy…" he trailed off as soon as he realized he'd said too much.

Harry didn't pick up on it but the Goblin did, "Albus Dumbledore has no say in the proceedings within this bank. If Mr. Potter needs to visit his family's account manager then so be it! Now step back."

Harry made to step away but paused a moment, "Just so I know for the future, is there a proper greeting and farewell I should be using?"

The teller briefly nodded, "There is but in this instance I'll just let it go. Speak with your account manager for more details."

"Thank you, sir."

* * *

Not two minutes after Harry and Hagrid moved away from the teller's desk, another Goblin approached and said that he'd be taking Mr. Potter to see his account manager. When Hagrid tried to follow, he was rebuffed rather gruffly.

Harry patted the larger man on his arm, "I'm sure it'll be fine, Hagrid. If you have other business you need to take care of, I can always meet you at the trunk store? I think that should be the first place I need to go."

Hagrid looked pensive before letting out a deep sigh, "Aye, very well Harry."

Harry turned back to his escort and motioned for him to lead the way.

* * *

**The Office of Senior Account Manager Riptooth, Potter Family Accounts…**

Harry noticed the nameplate on the door written in both English and in what he assumed was the Goblin equivalent. The route they took to get to the office was quick and efficient which spoke of how highly respected his family name was within the bank. Upon entering, Harry saw an older looking Goblin wearing an expensive, and armored, three-piece suit reading what appeared to be a report of some kind. As he entered the room, he thanked his escort for his time.

The older Goblin looked up from his reading and greeted Harry, "Good morning, Mr. Potter. My name is Riptooth. It's good to see you are looking healthy and with strong spirit."

Harry bowed to the Goblin, "Thank you, sir. I'm still not sure about the proper greetings I need to give. The teller out front said that you'd be able to help me."

"Indeed, Mr. Potter. Please, have a seat and we can begin." Harry sat down in the offered chair.

"To begin, I must ask you to provide proof as to who you say you are."

"Is it that blood draw thing because I already did that with the teller up front?"

An eyebrow rose, "Did you now, well that will make things easier. If you passed that test, then that works for me. Okay, to business; you probably have many questions for me. You've already asked about the proper etiquette in greetings and farewells, which is good to hear." Harry nodded.

Riptooth pulled a decent sized book off one of his bookshelves, "This book will cover most aspects of interacting with Goblins. Keep in mind that we are a warrior race. The tellers, vault runners, and cart operators are to be addressed using a greeting or farewell as if you are another warrior going about or performing a battle. Statements such as "May your enemies' blood wet your blade" are appropriate. If you're addressing an older Goblin in a higher position such as mine, you would use a greeting that speaks to the accumulation of wealth and family."

Harry took possession of the book, "Thank you, Riptooth. I'll return the book as soon as I can." The look on Riptooth's face showed that he approved of Harry's promise and manners.

"Next is your question of what a Galleon is. Yes, I was already informed by the teller about that. A Galleon is the largest denomination coin used within the magical world. It weighs two Troy ounces of gold and can be broken down into seventeen silver Sickles, which is the next lower denomination. The lowest denomination is the bronze Knut; twenty-nine of such make up a Sickle. Understand so far?"

"Yes, sir."

"Now; I have here your vault statement for the past ten years. Since the time of your birth, there has only been a small interest made off of the initial investment of 10,000 Galleons your father deposited. Nothing of note has occurred other than the monthly withdrawals of 50 Galleons that were to be used to offset the cost of raising you."

Harry looked puzzled at that, "Excuse me, sir but my aunt and uncle have never received any sort of money for my upkeep."

Riptooth's eyes narrowed dangerously, "Most irregular then. With your permission, I will start an audit to determine where this money is going." Harry agreed.

"To continue, until you reach your age of majority which currently stands at the age of 15, you will not be able to remove items from the main family vault nor will you be able to invest money in businesses." Harry accepted that.

"Sir, what about a Will? Do wizards use that sort of thing?" Riptooth nodded once.

"Yes, they do. I do not have a copy in my files though. You may have to check with the Ministry unless you find a copy at home."

Harry looked down at the large stack of paperwork in his hands and sniffed sadly, the harsh reminder that his parents should have covered all of this.

Riptooth noticed the boy's morose demeanor and cleared his throat, "In the meantime, would you like to visit your vault to withdraw some money?"

* * *

A vault runner appeared and escorted Harry to the mine carts that would take him to his vault. A harrowing ride later and the cart pulled to a stop outside of Vault 687. The cart operator took Harry's key and used it to open the door. Harry's eyes bugged out of their socket as he took in the tall piles of gold, silver and bronze coins. He couldn't believe how rich he was!

"Wow! Um, excuse me but how much would you recommend I take out to pay for my school supplies?"

The cart operator looked at him askance and cocked his head in thought, "Provided you don't go overboard, I'd recommend taking 100 Galleons, 75 Sickles, and 50 Knuts." Harry looked around for a bag of some kind to hold all of it before glancing back at the Goblin. The Goblin sighed in mild annoyance before telling him that a bag was available for 5 Knuts. Shrugging his shoulders, Harry paid for the bag before filling it with the recommended amounts.

Looking around still, he discovered that the vault held more than just coins. He found a couple of bookshelves crammed full of books of varying ages and subjects. He also found a traveler's trunk, still in excellent condition.

'_Good. That's one thing off my list.'_ He opened it up to investigate and gave it a quick examination. There were four rooms; a bedroom, kitchen, storage and living room. The decorations suggested that the last time it was used was during the 1970s if the stylized flowers and hideous wall paint colors were any indication.

Strangely, there was a locked box sitting on the kitchen table. When he examined it a bit closer, he discovered that it had a note attached to it with his name on it. He opened the note and began to read:

_My dearest Harry;_

_If you're reading this, then either your mother or I am dead. Within this box contains everything you'll need to establish yourself in the magical world. I love you so much that it makes my heart hurt. I'm sorry that we can't be there to see you grow up but you will always be forever loved._

_Dad_

Harry sat there at the table stunned silent. This was the first time that he'd ever seen anything written in his father's writing before and idly noted just how similar it was to his own chicken scratch. He tearfully smiled at that and traced his fingers over the lines on the page.

He climbed out of the trunk, wiped his eyes and noticed the books that were still sitting on the shelves in the vault. Pursing his lips in contemplation, he turned to the Goblin and asked if it were alright if he were to transfer the books to the trunk. The Goblin shrugged and replied that anything that happened inside the vault was no business of his.

It took about thirty minutes of simple shifting of books; he figured he'd sort them out later before he was loading the trunk onto the vault cart for the journey back to the surface.

* * *

He had the vault runner escort him back to his account manager. When Harry was bid to enter, he motioned to the trunk, "I found this trunk in my vault. The trunk itself is pretty amazing but what's _more_ amazing is a locked box sitting on the table. Gimme a moment and I'll get it." He said this all in a rush as he opened the trunk and dove inside. Riptooth merely grunted as he heaved his bulk out of his chair and moved around the desk to the opening of the trunk.

Harry reappeared a moment later carrying the small locked box with his father's note still attached to it. Riptooth had him place it on the desk and waved his hand over it to detect what sort of magics were involved.

"Hmmm…I'm not detecting anything harmful. It looks like it's locked shut with a blood lock. You'd just need to stick your finger within the recess there so it can sample a drop of blood. Harry did this and winced when the blood was withdrawn. There was a slight clicking noise as the clasp released itself. Riptooth reached out, lifted the lid and peered within.

Inside were a thick sheaf of papers, a stack of pictures and a key. Riptooth handed Harry the pictures and the key whilst retaining the paperwork for himself.

"Astounding! Here's the missing Will you'd inquired about earlier. Have a seat, Mr. Potter so we can read this together." Harry slowly slid into the seat while silently looking at the pictures.

After a taking a few moments to read through the Will, Riptooth grunted his approval, "Okay, Mr. Potter. The Will itself is pretty straightforward. Would you like to read it?"

Harry breezed past the usual boilerplate introductions and notices until he got to the bequeathments and requests:

"To **Mr. Sirius Orion Black (Padfoot)**: We leave you guardianship of our Son, Harry James Potter as well as a monthly stipend of ten thousand Galleons (10,000G) for his care and education. Please raise our son to be a productive member of society and to look out for the fun things in life. We (Lily and James) have declared Sirius to be Harry's Godfather as per "the Godfather Ritual." Sirius, we love you and wish you the best."

"To **Mr. Remus John Lupin (Moony)**: We leave you stewardship of the Potter Family Accounts and Businesses as well as input as to how Harry shall be raised. Moony, don't let Padfoot allow Harry to run wild. We trust in you to make sure they both keep their feet on the ground. In addition to the stewardship of the Potter Family Account, we leave Mr. Lupin a monthly stipend of one thousand Galleons (1,000G) for his own usage. This part is non-negotiable Moony! Get yourself some decent clothes and live, damn you!

"To **Mr. Peter Andrew Pettigrew (Wormtail):** We leave to you our notes and journals in the subject fields of Runes and Arithmancy as well as a one-time deposit of one thousand Galleons (1000G). You took a lot of ridicule from others even though we (James and Lily) could see your brilliance in these two subjects.

"To **Ms. Minerva McGonagall**: We leave to you access of the Potter Family Library with the proviso that you use them to teach the next generation to the best of your ability. Unfortunately, you cannot remove them from their current location Minerva; some of these books are one of a kind and should be protected from little hands, if you understand. Please also keep involved with Harry's life and education. You should know better than anyone else what kinds of mischief Padfoot and Moony can get up to! We also bequeath to you one thousand Galleons (1000 G) to be used for the Transfiguration Department.

"To our Son **Harry James Potter**: Upon your age of majority (seventeen), you will inherit all monies and properties belonging to the Potter Family. It is our hope that you will have been raised to be smart, loving and caring with those around you and ask that you forgive us for not being strong enough to share in your growing up. We miss and love you with all of our very being.

"To the **Director of the Magical Law Enforcement **(whomever it may be): If you are hearing/reading this then please note that we were betrayed by someone we thought was our friend and confidant. When we went into hiding, it was suggested by **Headmaster of Hogwarts and Chief Warlock Albus Dumbledore **to use the Fidelius Charm. We had initially decided to use Mr. Sirius Black (Padfoot) as our Secret Keeper but he (Dumbledore) suggested that we switch to another friend of ours, **Mr. Peter Andrew Pettigrew**. Albus explained to us that using Sirius as a Secret Keeper it would be too obvious of a choice. By using Peter, who'd ever suspect him? If we are dead, then use all of your power and influence to find and arrest Pettigrew. If Pettigrew is guilty of these charges then his bequeathments shall be null and voided.

"Additionally, under **NO CIRCUMSTANCES **is **Albus Dumbledore** allowed one Knut of money nor any artifact from the Potter Family Vaults or properties. There is something we do not trust about him, be it his pacifistic attitudes during a war or the empty platitudes given towards the muggleborns and those of mixed race descent. If there is anything missing that clearly belongs to the Potter Family (list enclosed), it is to be retrieved with all prejudice and fees to be paid by Albus!"

"Finally, We (Lily and James) want it known that under **NO CIRCUMSTANCES **shall our Son be left in the care of Lily's sister and her husband, Petunia Dursley nee Evans and Vernon Dursley. They hate any form and knowledge of the existence of magic and we (Lily and James) fear that they (Petunia and Vernon) would mistreat our Son."

* * *

When Harry finished reading, he blankly looked at Riptooth before thinking hard about what he'd just read. He let the Will slowly fall onto the desk and leaned back in his seat. Riptooth waited patiently for the young heir to formulate a response.

"Senior Account Manager Riptooth?" Harry began quietly but with a hint of steel in his voice, "Proceed with the investigation into the theft of the money from my trust vault then contact those you can mentioned in the Will. I want to know _why_ I was never placed where I should've been ten years ago."

Riptooth nodded as he pulled over a piece of paper and a pen then began to write his notes.

"Once that's done, please determine how much my aunt and uncle were supposed to be paid in total for the past ten years including whatever extras that normally go with raising a magical child plus interest and deposit it in their bank account. I think they have an account with Barclay's." He quietly rose from his seat and packed up his trunk before turning to face the wizened Goblin.

"Thank you for your time, Riptooth. May your gold ever increase and your family be happy and healthy."

* * *

_**At Porter's Trunks and Things…**_

Harry easily spotted Hagrid amongst the other shoppers and waved to get the big man's attention. He adopted a happier attitude, as he didn't want to ruin the day with the revelations he'd learned in the bank.

"Hey, Hagrid! Look what I found in my vault. It's a four-room traveler's trunk. Now I won't have to go in there after all."

Hagrid smiled, "That's good to hear, Harry. I'd never be able to fit in there anyways. So where to now?"

Harry consulted his list, "I'm thinking that we ought to get the robes and other clothes done first. If they need to be tailored, that'll take a while."

"Aye, this way."

* * *

_**At Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions…**_

Harry entered the store and took a few moments to look over the fabric and trim selections. A seamstress came up and asked him if he was ready, to which Harry nodded his agreement.

"Okay, young man. Up on the pedestal and let's get this fitting robe on you. Arms up." A checkerboard-patterned robe was dropped down over his head. "First year at Hogwarts?"

"Yes, ma'am. I'm looking forward to it."

"I dare say you would be. It's an exciting place and shaping up to be an exciting year."

"Why's that?"

"Well, this is the year that young Harry Potter will be starting there! We're all abuzz here; imagine if I got to wait on him. I wonder what he'd be like?"

Harry shrugged, "I'd imagine him to be polite and respectful. I'd imagine that he'd want to be treated just like any other first year student."

The seamstress shrugged and noncommittantly agreed with that assessment as she continued to mark the robe with his measurements.

"Was there anything else you wished to try on? The school robes are pretty basic on the outside but there's no rule on what embellishments you can have on the inside."

"Well, there was this fabric lining over here that caught my eye. It's a pretty blue with gold stitching." He led her over to where the brocade was sitting on the shelf.

"Ah, yes. This would look lovely. Would you like me to add any additional pockets to the inside?"

"How much per pocket?"

"20 Knuts per pocket no matter the style."

"Then I'll take two additional pockets large enough to hold a wand and perhaps a small notebook and pen." The seamstress made a note of that before they headed back to the pedestal. She took off the fitting robe and filled out the order forms. She handed him his copy and informed him that the school set would be ready within two hours and that he could pay for them when he picked them up.

* * *

_**At Eeylop's Owl Emporium…**_

Before he stopped at the apothecary to pick up his potion supplies, Harry decided that he'd look for a pet or familiar. When he entered Eeylop's Owl Emporium, he was amazed by the wide varieties of owls to choose from. As he wandered around, he felt more than he heard the rush of feathered wings just before a beautiful Snowy Owl landed on his shoulder and began nuzzling his cheek.

"Right smart owl you got there, young man." Came the voice of the shopkeeper. Harry turned and smiled at the man then turned back to gaze up at the owl and brushing his finger across her breast feathers.

"She's beautiful. Wow, I think she'll be perfect. Does she have a name yet?"

"No, that'll be your task. Come on up to the front and I'll get you rung up."

* * *

_**At the apothecary…**_

He spoke at length with the shopkeeper as to what the Hogwarts Potions professor was like and what sort of requirements he had for beginning students.

"After all, it wouldn't be fair to him and proper for me to walk into his class unprepared."

The shopkeeper allowed for that and took Harry on a guided tour of the store while pointing out and suggesting ingredients that weren't normally on the official list but that might come in handy as well as showing the professor that Harry was serious about learning the subject.

After that was the general merchandise store for some odds and ends that had caught his eye for his traveler's trunk. He'd noticed early on that the magical world didn't use electrical power so he resolved to find the next best thing to provide even, bright lighting to study by. He decided not to get the brass telescope from the Astronomy store as its quality just seemed too low for his tastes, besides he knew of a store in the non-magical world that had a better selection and had cheaper prices.

* * *

_**At Ollivander's Wands…**_

This was the store that Harry had been dying to enter since they arrived in the alley. A magic wand! It was the thing that dreams of magic were made of. No self-respecting wizard could ever hope to wield magic without one…or at least that was what his fantasy novels proclaimed.

Harry entered the dusty, dimly lit store and wondered where the shopkeeper was.

"I was wondering when I'd be seeing you, Mr. Potter." Came a creaky voice somewhere amongst the shelves. "It seems like only yesterday when your mother and father were in here for their first wands."

A grey-haired older man shuffled out from the aisle way and approached the front counter. His eyes were almost pure white and he seemed to be an almost indeterminate age. "Your father, James Potter. Eleven inch long Mahogany wand. Pliable. Good for Transfiguration. Yes, I remember. Your mother, Lily Evans, Ten and a quarter inch long willow wand. Swishy. Good for Charms work. Now, let's begin with you shall we? Hold out your wand arm."

Not knowing what he meant by 'wand arm,' Harry held out his right hand, as that was the hand he wrote with. A floating tape measure started taking measurements for the most unusual points. _'Between my nostrils?'_

Ollivander turned back to Harry and clicked his fingers, causing the tape measure to stop what it was doing and drop onto the counter. What followed next was a near parade of different types of wands and their cores as well as a running commentary by Ollivander.

"Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. Just take it and give it a wave." That one didn't work too well. Ollivander snatched it out of his hand and went in search of another one.

"Here, Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches, quite whippy." Another failure yet Ollivander didn't seem to mind as he went back into the stacks. On and on this went for nearly half an hour, the stack of mismatched wands growing ever higher on the counter.

"Let's try this one. It's an odd combination but… holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple." Harry took the wand in hand and immediately knew that _this_ was the wand for him. It felt warm and inviting in his hand, practically begging to be waved about and used.

"Wow, this…feels _good!_" He exclaimed happily.

"Excellent!" beamed Ollivander, "though curious."

Harry looked up, puzzled at Ollivander's observation, "I'm sorry but what's curious?"

"I remember every wand I've ever sold. It so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave another feather. It's very curious indeed that you should be destined for this wand when its brother gave you that scar." Ollivander intoned.

Harry's hand subconsciously came up and touched the scar. The shop was quiet as they both pondered the revelation. Harry though had an errant thought, "If you don't mind me asking but how _does_ a wand identify whom it is they're destined for?"

Ollivander's eyes seemed to light up at the question as if no one had ever shown any interest in the craft, "It's not always clear as to why a wand chooses a wizard, Mr. Potter but I can give you the basics of what the wood and core of your wand means according to folklore. The Holly wood is a traditional symbol of luck, prosperity and protection from evil. It's been used in celebration rituals throughout history including the Roman festival of Saturnalia, the Pagan Winter Solstice and, of course, Christmas."

"Now the wand that is the brother to yours…well, it is the antithesis of what yours represents. That wand was made from Yew wood, also with a phoenix tail feather. Ironically from the same bird, in fact. Now Yew wood is poisonous. Every part of the tree (aside from the berry flesh) contains alkaloids that are fatal to humans. One interesting property of yew is that it remains poisonous after the tree has died."

"What about the core of…phoenix feather, you said?"

"The symbolism of the phoenix represents continual rebirth and renewal. It is often associated with the Sun; a phoenix obtains new life by arising from the ashes of its predecessor. According to some sources, the phoenix dies in a show of flames and combustion, although there are other sources that claim that the legendary bird dies and simply decomposes before being born again."

Harry pondered what Ollivander had described, "So you're saying that our two wands represent 'Life' (holding up his wand) and 'Death' (referencing the other wand.)

Ollivander nodded sagely, "Indeed, Mr. Potter."

* * *

The last stop on Harry magical shopping journey was at the bookstore, Flourish and Blott's. When he entered, a large happy smile grew on his face, as he took in the many shelves in wondrous delight. _'The possibilities are endless.'_ He took his time as he wandered up and down the stacks. There were books on such wide-ranging topics and also sizes. There were tiny, nearly postage stamp sized books that you'd probably need a microscope to read, all the way up to the massive books that would probably need a crane to lift.

He picked up the pre-assembled stack of books for the first year students and dropped into his basket. As he continued his journey into literary heaven, he paused at the sight of a collection of children's books that had his name written on them.

'_The True Life Adventures of Harry Potter? What is this crap?' _he thought as he scrunched up his face. He shrugged it off, determined to deal with it some other time.

After finishing up in the bookstore and heading back to the pub, Hagrid handed Harry his ticket for the platform and train.

"Make sure that you hang on to that, Harry. It's very important. Now…there was something else I was supposed to tell you…"

"How do I get onto the platform?" Harry asked as he examined the ticket.

Hagrid snapped his fingers, "Right! That was it. When you get to the area between Platforms 9 and 10, you should see a wall with a section that'll shimmer a bit. The shimmer is only visible to us magicals. What you need to do is walk into that section of the wall. You'll pop out onto Platform 9 ¾ easily."

"What about a medical exam for any magical shots I might need?"

Hagrid waved that away, "Nah, Madam Pomfrey will take care of that. She's the school's medi-witch. So, would you like to stop and have a bit of lunch before I send you home? If I remember right, I promised to tell you more about your past?"

* * *

_**At the Leaky Cauldron…**_

The two shoppers sat down in the back of the pub and Harry let out a bit of a sigh of relief. Magical shopping was challenging! Tom came over and took their order before shuffling back to the kitchen. Hagrid gazed at Harry for a moment before beginning his explanation.

"Ok, first thing you need to understand is what it was like back in the days before your birth. To put it bluntly, we were at war. Friends were turning on friends and family, you didn't know whom you could trust. Dark days, indeed." He paused to take a drink of water from the carafe on the table. "It was dark days back then. There was a wizard who'd risen from obscurity and began amassing a huge group of followers. They began attacking muggleborns and those they labeled as 'unworthy' to study magic. Anyone who tried to stop him was killed."

They paused briefly as Tom came over to deliver their food.

"Now, your parents joined a secret organization put together by Headmaster Albus Dumbledore so they could fight back against the darkness. Sometime around early 1980, word had it that the evil leader of the Dark forces was targeting your parents. No one knew why but they had to go into hiding."

"What was the Dark leader's name?" Harry interrupted.

Hagrid shuddered, "I'd rather not speak it. It's…well, bad things happen when his name is spoken aloud."

"Can you write it down?" Harry asked.

Hagrid shook his head, "Nah, can't spell it. Anyway, your parents went into hiding and for a time, everything was fine but then one of their friends betrayed you and your parents to…_Him._"

Harry wanted to blurt out the name 'Peter Pettigrew' but held back. He didn't know if Hagrid was instructed to relay anything back to the headmaster.

"So, on Halloween night, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named found out where you lived because of the betrayer and attacked. No one really knows what happened but something about you destroyed him so badly that he's not been seen since."

Harry looked confused, "That makes him sound like he's still out there, somewhere."

Hagrid shrugged his massive shoulders, "Aye, that's what Dumbledore says. Myself, I hope that he'd been dragged to wherever bad souls go when they die."

They ate their lunch quietly in thought. Harry asked Hagrid some general questions about magical life and what a Keeper of Keys and Grounds does. He smiled at the thought of being able to see and be around all those neat magical creatures. "I'd love to see a unicorn, someday."

"Aye, we got them there. They're shy creatures though, Harry. The adults don't trust males and they're difficult to catch."

After they finished lunch, Hagrid took Harry home via the Underground again before vanishing into thin air!


	3. Chapter 2

**Sunday 1 September 1991 King's Cross Station**

The month of August flew by as Harry finished getting ready for his big entrance to the wider magical world and education. He managed to get home alright and immediately set about cleaning out the trunk of all the old furniture and furnishings. The carpet was pulled out, the dishes were checked (they were serviceable but he wanted to use the ones he made anyhow), the wall paint was stripped off and a fresh, modern coat was applied (he chose a nice beachfront palette of blues with a sandy tan for the accents). He changed out the curtains and installed new shelves for the books and supplies. He convinced Uncle Vernon to assist him and the look on Vernon's face as he descended _into_ the trunk amused Harry to no end.

"You know, Harry, if that tour guide of yours had demonstrated what magic was like using this, I think _I'd_ be wanting to go up to that school of yours as well."

"Well, if you'd like, I can find out if there are any other trunks like this and buy it for you?"

Vernon shook his head, "No, you need to save that money for your education. Keep saving and work with that account manager of yours to invest it wisely."

* * *

He'd finally gotten around to naming his owl after the two of them skimmed through all the names within his History of Magic textbook. They'd settled on Hedwig, though privately he promised to refer to her as 'Her Royal Owlness.'

Riptooth had sent a letter to Harry outlining the results of the audit and who'd been essentially stealing money from his vaults. It turned out it was Albus Dumbledore! The headmaster of the school was stealing his money and claiming it was for Harry's upkeep. Well, needless to say Harry was upset about that and informed Riptooth to proceed as per his parents wishes in the Will.

Harry had decided _not_ to inform his aunt and uncle about the part in the Will that he wasn't supposed to go to them as their relationship was pretty good and he didn't want to wreck a good thing. He did tell them about the money that was going to be deposited into their account, which surprised both adults. Petunia was unsurprised that the money that should've gone to them, or whomever it was that was going to be raising Harry, was being rerouted to someone else.

"Greed is the same, no matter which side of the divide you're on." She commented dryly.

The trunk and its interior were finished just in time for Harry's journey to Hogwarts. Dudley had jokingly remarked that he ought to have something like this when he went to Smeltings, much to Harry's amusement.

* * *

The morning of the first saw Harry practically vibrating with nervous energy. He'd already released Hedwig to make her own way up to the school so she wouldn't have to suffer the indignity of being cooped up in a cage on a train. Petunia quietly cried and compared him to his mother when she had acted almost the same way on her first day to Hogwarts. She gave him a clingy sort of hug and made him promise that he'd study hard and stay out of trouble.

"I don't want to lose you to that madness like I lost my sister, you hear me? If it seems dangerous, don't you dare go investigate, just get out of there as fast as you can! Inform a teacher or someone and let them deal with it. The most dangerous thing I expect to hear from you in your letters home is that you got a paper cut."

"I understand and I promise, Aunt Petunia."

* * *

Vernon drove Harry down to King's Cross Station and helped him get his trunk onto a cart. "Do you need or want me to go with you?"

Harry glanced around, "Maybe just for the first time, if you don't mind?" Vernon accepted that and followed him into the station. They walked towards Platform 9 and paused as Harry consulted his notes.

"Okay, Hagrid said that the platform I'm supposed to get onto is protected by a shimmering wall between 9 and 10."

Vernon looked around but couldn't see anything, "Nope, I got nothing. Maybe it only activates at a certain time? You've got at least half an hour before your train is supposed to leave."

Harry examined the nearest wall facing towards the train tracks. One of them seemed to glow a dull blue. "Here! I think this is it." He pushed his hand into the wall and pulled it back with no apparent damage. Vernon just snorted in derision at the sight.

"Honestly, some people just don't use the grey matter between their ears."

"Huh?"

"Instead of putting a magical wall and platform here in one of the busiest train stations in London, they could've built their own station somewhere else on the property. Idiots, I tell you." Vernon groused while Harry chuckled. "Okay, Harry, go on through and I'll see you at Christmas unless something changes. If we do end up going away, then I'll be here to pick you up for summer." They shook hands and Harry pushed his cart through the wall and disappeared.

* * *

Harry reappeared on the magical side of the barrier and slowly approached the train in open-mouthed wonder. It was a beautiful jet-black steam locomotive with gold trim. The 10 cars behind it shone in their entire scarlet splendor. Everything seemed very plush and screamed of 'old money.' After choosing a compartment and getting help from a platform attendant, he stowed his trunk next to his seat and went in search of other children his age.

He passed by one round-faced, sandy haired boy getting a lecture by apparently his grandmother though there was something about the boy that tickled his memory. _'Have I met him somewhere before? Eh, I'll find out later.'_

The platform was busy and noisy with parents wishing their children farewell and animals calling out in all manner of voices, be it hooting owls or yowling cats. Harry spotted a blonde-haired boy dressed in what appeared to be immaculate and expensive looking robes speaking with equally dressed adults both of whom looked like his parents. He saw an older looking redheaded woman with a monocle in one eye speaking with a strawberry blonde girl who was holding the hand of either her sister or a friend.

Then he noticed a bushy-haired girl struggling to get her trunk onto the train and made his way over to help.

"Hi, need some help there?"

The girl looked up and her heart nearly stopped. Standing before her was a boy with the most beautiful, piercing green eyes and easy smile that made her tummy flutter. She must have stammered a reply as the boy reached down and grabbed one handle of her trunk. Together, they managed to shove it into the compartment and into a storage rack.

"Thank you very much for the help. I'm Hermione Granger, would you like to sit with me?" she stammered nervously.

Harry smiled at her shyness, "Sure! Let me go and move my trunk over here." He disappeared back into the crowd before reappearing ten minutes later, dragging his trunk by one handle.

* * *

Once secured inside, Harry introduced himself to Hermione. Her eyes bugged out in surprise. "_The_ Harry Potter? I've read all about you!"

One eyebrow quirked up in puzzlement, "Yeahh, that's me. What sort of things have you read about me? The only thing I know that I've published was an article on a child's guide to easy to make pottery."

Hermione's mouth kind of flapped open and closed for a moment, no sound coming from her as she tried to process this. "I mean, you're in some of the history textbooks like '_The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_' and _'Notable Events of the Twentieth Century_.'"

Harry scratched his ear as he thought about this, his face scrunching up briefly. "Sorry to disappoint you but I don't have a clue as to what you're talking about. I mean, I did see those silly adventure books where I've supposedly gone on amazing journeys around the world."

Hermione shrugged and commented that she'd show him the books later. "I was surprised to get a letter as there's no one else in my family that's magical. What about yours?"

A lop-sided grin slid onto his face, "My aunt, uncle and cousin aren't magical either. I've been living with them since that Halloween night. They've long suspected that something was…well, different about me. My relatives would notice that whenever I was doing something artistic, for example working with clay, the piece I was working with would dry unnaturally fast or how if I was in class and doing finger paints, the paints I wanted would suddenly show up."

Hermione was amazed at how _normal_ Harry sounded and appeared. He was nothing like what had been described in the books. It made her wonder what else was different about the world she was getting into.

* * *

Once the train got underway, Hermione had left the compartment to look around while Harry had decided to stay there and just read. When the door opened up again, he looked up and saw that the blonde haired kid from earlier was standing there flanked by two large boys.

"I've been hearing that Harry Potter is on the train. Am I right to assume that would be you?" he said pompously.

Harry slowly nodded and rose to his feet, "Yes, it is. You are?"

The boy held out his hand, "My name is Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person." Harry shook his hand and glanced at the other two.

Draco languidly gestured at the boys behind him, "Oh, this is Vincent Crabbe and this is Gregory Goyle. If you'd be interested Mr. Potter, I could show you around and introduce you to other influential families?"

Harry clasped his hands in front of him and gave a small smile, "Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Malfoy but I think for the time being, I wish to remain low profile at least until I can get a lay of the land on my own." Draco's smug smirk slowly faded away but he nodded in acceptance.

With that dismissal, all three made their departure.

* * *

Harry had just settled in his seat when the door opened up again, this time to admit a red haired boy with freckles covering his face.

"Oi, do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full." The boy asked as he plopped down on the bench and made himself comfortable, not even giving Harry a chance to deny him.

Harry warily observed the boy, his clothes and general demeanor suggested that he was a country sort and didn't understand general social cues. The boy had pulled out a wrapped sandwich, glared at it in disgust before tossing it on the seat next to him. Next, he dug out a scruffy looking rat out of another pocket and let it sit on his shoulder. Harry made a face at that.

"Do you always carry around a rat with you?"

"Yeah, this is Scabbers. He's been in my family for ages. He was originally Percy's but he gave him to me when he got made prefect and was gifted an owl. Pathetic, ain't he?"

Harry shrugged, "If it is, then why do you hang onto him?"

The boy shrugged as well, "Dunno, just do. By the way, name's Ron Weasley."

* * *

Hermione eventually returned with another boy in tow, the one Harry had seen getting lectured by his grandmother. Introductions were made and Ron showed his lack of social etiquette by yelping about Harry's name and why he hadn't introduced himself before starting in with all sorts of rude questions about that fateful night, his scar, and how awesome it must be to be famous. Harry quirked an eyebrow and gimlet eye at the redhead while glancing at the other two in pained sufferance.

"Ron? I think it would be best if you were to leave now. In the space of a few minutes, you've insulted me and the memory of my parents. You are incredibly rude and ill-mannered." Ron tried to bluster but eventually gave up, grabbed his stuff and stormed out.

Harry just let out a long sigh of relief, "Wow, I can't believe the nerve of that kid. Well, nothing for it. So…Neville, is it?" The sandy haired kid nodded.

"I get the strange feeling that you and I have met before."

Neville thought about it, "It's possible. You and I were born within a couple of hours of each other and I know from the stories my Gran has told me, our parents were friends with each other."

"Wow, that's cool. How about renewing our friendship?"

Neville smiled broadly, "That'd be great, Harry."

* * *

The train pulled into the station at an all magical town called Hogsmeade and offloaded its passengers. The first years were taken across a huge lake via boats while the older years went by horseless carriages. Harry shared a boat with Hermione, Neville and a boy named Dean Thomas. After reaching the boat dock and climbing up a steep set of stairs, Hagrid pounded on the door. He greeted a severe looking older witch named Professor McGonagall and transferred the kids to her care. She led them to a small antechamber and explained the basic rules and regulations that existed as well as a basic description of the four Houses and their characteristics.

While they were waiting, Hermione was near panicking with horrific thoughts as to how they would get sorted. Harry wordlessly reached over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders and drew her in for a hug. Surprised by this yet comforted at the same time, she quickly calmed down. It went unnoticed by the two of them of the exchanged surprised glances the other first years were giving each other.

When the professor returned, she spotted Harry holding Hermione in a comforting embrace and smiled inwardly at the heartwarming sight. She gave Harry an approving nod and bid for everyone to follow her. She led the children into the Great Hall where everyone else was assembled. The ceiling seemed to stretch forever into the night sky. Hermione was heard to be saying that she'd read that the ceiling was enchanted. After a brief doggerel song sung by an ancient wizard's hat, the children were called up one by one to find out where they'd be sorted.

* * *

When Hermione's name was called, she took a sharp breath and nearly bolted up to the stool but held it together long enough to move forward at a controlled pace. The Sorting Hat was placed upon her head and it seemed to take forever to hear which House was chosen. _Finally, _the Hat yelled out, "HUFFLEPUFF!" to the cheers of the members of the yellow and black.

The list continued alphabetically until the next one up was Neville. Harry gave him a thumbs up and an encouraging smile. Neville took a deep, trembling breath and marched up to the front where after a few minutes was sorted into Gryffindor.

After another few minutes, it was finally Harry's turn. There were excited whispers when his name was called out and again when he began moving forward. He sat down on the stool and steeled himself as the Hat was placed on his head.

'Ah! Good evening, Mr. Potter. You seem to be all that anyone's been talking about for the past several days.'

"Joy. I'd rather not make a spectacle of myself. I just want to learn how to be a wizard, make a lot of friends and create some art." Harry groused.

The Hat looked within Harry's mind and began rummaging around in his memories. What he found was pleasantly surprising. Family, friends, artistic talent were all of primary importance for the boy. His aunt's admonishment not to go looking for trouble echoed in one section of his memory. There was a darker bit that begged to be examined but the Hat determined that it was of no immediate importance.

'Interesting, very interesting. I can see here that you indeed wish to lay low as it were. You have a keen mind, love to learn and yet also enjoy working as part of a larger group. If you were to choose, which House would you prefer?'

Shrugging his shoulders, "I think I'd like to be part of a House where my supposed 'celebrity' is nothing that needs to be cause for a party every time I accomplish something. I liked hanging around Hermione and Neville, and I think I'd enjoy being in a House where there's a lot of life and love."

'_In that case, there's only one place for you, Mr. Potter… Better be _"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The House of the Badgers all jumped to their feet and gave a tremendous cheer. "WE GOT POTTER! WE GOT POTTER!" was chanted over and over again. Surprise reigned supreme on the faces of the Gryffindors, especially on a set of red-haired twins, whose mouths hung open.

* * *

The Welcoming Feast was an amazing event to behold. There was all sorts of different dishes that he'd never even heard about and was eager to try it all. He didn't make a pig of himself but he did load up rather heavily on the meats and potatoes. When the desserts came, he looked on in overstuffed horror that he just didn't have the room in his stomach to handle even one tiny biscuit!

One of the older students caught the look on his face and leaned over to mention that the kitchens were just across the hallway from their Common Room and that the elves would have no problem offering a plate of whatever he requested.

"What are elves?" he inquired.

The older student was surprised that Harry of all people would ask that question but shrugged his shoulders and explained that elves were tiny creatures that reached up most people's knees. They had large bat-like ears; tennis ball sized eyes and lived to serve the magical community. Hermione overheard this and asked if they were paid for their work.

"They're not paid in the sense of using coins like our currency but they are paid in terms of getting a place to live and work while sharing the magic from their chosen families. They are symbiotic in nature… you know what symbiotic means right?" She nodded. "Okay, they absorb some of a witch or wizard's magic and in return for that, do all the cooking, cleaning and other necessary chores to keep the home running smoothly."

Harry was shocked by this, "What happens in the event that an elf is mistreated by the family they serve?"

The older student looked saddened, "Well, they have a couple of options. One, they try to make the best of it but just work slower and not put as much effort into the job. Two, they can leave the family and search out one who would take better care of them. This is viewed by the other elves as kind of a bad thing but overlooked as long as the case is warranted. Three, and this is only in a last resort sort of case, they will be given clothes as a sort of extreme social punishment before being banished from the family. If that happens, it's practically a death sentence as no other elf wants to be near such a disgrace and no wizarding family wants to run the risk of bonding with a problem elf."

"What about rewarding them? Besides the sharing of our magic, is there some way we can show our appreciation of their hard work?" Harry asked.

The older boy shrugged, "I'm not really sure but I guess you can ask when you meet them in the kitchens."


	4. Chapter 3

Harry was glad that he'd gotten sort into Hufflepuff. The atmosphere of the Common Room lent itself to inspiring his creative juices like nothing else in the world. He'd had several ideas for planters and decorative wall hangings within seconds. The attitudes of the inhabitants were warm and caring, while still curious about their newest 'celebrity,' they weren't as annoyingly invading as some of the others in the school were.

'_Especially those Gryffindors…Sheesh! That Weasley kid is the worst by far. At least his twin older brothers are a right laugh and know _something_ about giving others their space.'_

The youngest Weasley had tried on multiple occasions to get Harry to 'ditch the duffers' and come and hang out with him and the other brave Gryffindors. Harry could only roll his eyes and snort in derision at the painfully obvious and tactless methods the twit would go to in trying to prove that Harry had been missorted. Twice within the short span of a week, the idiot's nose had come real close to being introduced to Harry's fist. Fortunately for him, his twin older brothers would step in and drag the loudmouth away.

Speaking of the twins, Harry found them to be hilarious and engaging. They had so many funny stories to tell and even pulled a few pranks on him. Harry would just laugh and shrug it off as their way of welcoming him into the magical world. Two days after their arrival to the school, Harry entered the Great Hall sporting a head of hair that was spiked up and a blinding shade of green. When questioned, he would smirk and shrug, saying that it was all in good fun and as long as it didn't interfere with his school work he didn't mind it. This caused a few surprised looks and wagging tongues but Harry paid it no mind.

There was only one time that the Twins got dangerously close to interfering with Harry's education that required a bit of intervention on his part. He didn't go squealing to a teacher but quietly spoke with the castle elves and enlisted their aid in ambushing the pranksters. Harry had the elves transport the two out to the middle of the Black Lake whilst still sleeping and left them floating on a raft and covered with a thin blanket. Their wands had been taken from them but Harry did leave a note stating the reasons for the retaliation and what they could do to never have this happen again.

* * *

_**Diary of Hermione Jean Granger…**_

_1 September 1991_

_Dear Diary, _

_It's finally happened! After all those years of wondering and hoping, it's been confirmed! I'm a WITCH! It was an amazing thing when Professor McGonagall came by our house to give my parents and I the news. It's even more amazing to see and be IN the castle now. I can't wait to get started with all of my classes, they look SO interesting. _

_Speaking of interesting, I met a boy at King's Cross Station today on the magical side. It was none other than Harry Potter himself! The so-called 'Boy-Who-Lived' and he's even cuter than what the pictures suggest he is. (I can't believe I just wrote that.) He was very polite and helped me get my trunk onto the carriage then accepted my invitation to join me in the compartment. He seems like any other ordinary boy, it does make me wonder if the books were correct in their description of him. _

_It surprised me to get into Hufflepuff; I could've sworn I was going to get into Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. I think that it was that comforting hug that Harry gave me when we were waiting in that side room before the Sorting. It was nice and I hated to have it end so quickly. Harry, Neville (another boy I met on the train who was looking for a lost pet) and I had a nice conversation where Harry said he was going to try to get into Hufflepuff simply because, in his opinion, was the House of the Artists and as a Potter, where else could he go?_

_He also mentioned that it was the House where people could excel in their chosen field while still enjoy being part of a group and make lots of friends. That's what I've always wanted… Friends that didn't just exist in my mind or in the pages of a book…_

_Well, it's time for bed. I got a lot of work ahead of me._

* * *

_4 September 1991_

_Dear Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and Dudley;_

_Greetings from Hogwarts! I know I've should've written sooner but there's just so much to do and learn and not enough time to get it all done. Learning how to perform magic certainly is a lot tougher than just waving a stick around and saying silly words. There's the proper pronunciation, the proper wand movement and making sure that your intent is focused on what you want to have happen. Who knew that magic school could be just like regular school?_

_So you'll know, I got sorted into Hufflepuff House. That's the House for the people who enjoy working together in a group; those who have the smarts, the bravery and the cunning to get things done but not show off at it like the other three Houses. It's also the House for those who put family, friendship and caring as the most important aspect in their lives. Most importantly, in my opinion, it's the House of the Artists!_

_I love it here. The classes are interesting even if a couple of teachers shouldn't be here for one reason or another. For example, my History teacher is a ghost! I know, who wouldn't love to be taught by a ghost who probably lived when the events were taking place but this one merely drones on and on without pausing. His lectures put everyone to sleep; I try to stay awake but so far I've not been having luck. Don't worry; all the learning I miss during 'nap time' can be accomplished by just reading the book and answering the questions at the end of each chapter._

_I haven't gotten around to seeing if I could set up something to make my pottery but I've got a meeting with my Head of House this weekend. I'm hopeful she'll let me put up a small shed somewhere._

_Dudley, you'd love the grounds here. There's an area set up for the Care of Magical Creatures class and there's always some sort of interesting animal in the paddocks. Just last week, I finally got to see a unicorn! You have no idea how beautiful it was, it was amazing! I wish I had a camera so I could've taken a picture to share with you._

_Uncle Vernon, you'd love the food around here. Everything is served in huge portions and tastes amazing! The Welcoming Feast was just heaven, all sorts of different meat dishes, vegetables, soups, breads, you name it._

_Aunt Petunia, I think you'd enjoy the greenhouses here. There are so many different levels of skill needed to grow normal things like flowers, herbs and vegetables. Then there are the magical varieties that have their own special requirements. Did you know there are several plants that will actually try to attack you if you get too close? I can think of several locations in the backyard that would be perfect for a couple of them to keep out our nosy neighbors._

_Anyways, I got to get back to studying. I have a test coming up for my Charms class. (Despite the name, the charms we're learning are not the 'social' kind. Haha.) _

_Love,_

_Harry_

* * *

_**Behind Greenhouse One…**_

It was about a week into the first term when Harry had approached his Head of House, Pomona Sprout about getting permission to set up a small pottery shed to work on his ceramics and pottery projects. She was curious about the concept and so gave tentative permission as long as it wasn't going to interfere with his studies or cause undue commotion to the school itself. What started as a simple, hand-drawn sketch of a simple shed 'out back,' grew to a size and complexity that surprised even Harry, himself.

With the help of the castle's complement of house-elves and various students with the staff supervising, Harry constructed an earthen, flowing wall, two-room structure located behind the greenhouse that butted up against the castle walls. The structure was shaped like a two lobed oval if viewed from above before the roof was put on. It featured strawbale construction with a hand applied clay slip then a sky blue color tinted plaster final coating. Anyone that was interested (and that was nearly everyone) was more than welcome to come sculpt some sort of image onto the walls using more clay. As a result, there were images of flowers, animals (both mundane and magical), rune arrays and other magical symbols scattered across the surfaces. A split wooden door was installed on the North wall. Next a layer of colorful natural paint was applied to the interior walls. Harry chose a nice, rich sea green with metallic flake that scintillated as it caught the afternoon light for the walls with a sunset gold for the trim. The ceiling was painted a deep, almost evening blue. An ambitious third year Slytherin even took to hand-painting gold stars in their constellations on the ceiling.

The roof was shaped to look like a large leaf and was constructed using tree branches covered by a woven underlayer while the top of the roof was built to house a low maintenance array of grasses, moss and wildflowers. There were two large floor to ceiling windows that faced towards both East and West to let in the morning and afternoon light. A skylight was built into the roof that had a glass bottle mosaic pattern that allowed a rainbow of scintillating light as the sun rose into the sky. Once that was done, he began finishing out the interior with shelves (both sculpted into the walls and wooden planks on a rack), a couple of cabinets and a drying rack. They also installed a wooden floor and added a couple of thick rugs in all four House colors.

For heat, Harry introduced the novel concept of the 'dragon' mass heater. He described it as being an offshoot design of the pottery kiln he'd be installing after the shed was finished. The name came from the roaring sound as the air rushed in to feed the combustion process. This featured a batch type burn chamber with adjustable air intake covers, a riser and flue gate. The flue gate allowed the operator to send the exhaust gas straight to an outside vent when starting the burn or to a vault-style mass bench covered with cushions located along one side of the studio. There was a secondary exhaust vent that exited the bench as well.

Using his personal magic, Harry accelerated the drying process of everything that had clay within it so it only took a couple of days to actually build the studio. For a structure this large, it did take a lot out of him. After the first wave of dizziness, Madam Pomfrey, the school nurse, stepped in and practically demanded that he rest for a couple of hours while sipping on something sugary. It embarrassed him to be lounging around in the shade while the others that were helping were hard at work.

Professor Sprout had vetoed the idea of installing some kind of nighttime lighting since it was expected of anyone who used the studio to be either in their common rooms or in bed by the time curfew was called.

Last but not least of projects that needed to be accomplished was the construction and installation of the pottery kiln. In keeping with the lack of electricity at the castle, Harry copied the kiln he'd had back at the Dursley's. The only changes he made were the inclusion of more shelves for holding tools and a stone paver patio around the kiln with a path that led back to the studio. At the last minute, someone had the bright idea to install a bench so everyone could sit and relax outside on the days that had better weather

By the end of the weekend, the newly finished studio was dubbed, 'Potter's Place.' By the next weekend, there was even a hand carved wooden sign hanging from the lintel.

Harry populated the walls and display shelves with selections from his own personal collection. In the first lobed room, which had the split door and was considered the 'meeting room,' he put up a couple of ceramic wall hangings he'd made in an Aztec-style with bold lines and zigzag patterns. There were a couple of masks that were reminiscent of something you'd find in a tiki bar somewhere and a number of beautifully made, waist-high vases and columns for potted plants. The main studio room was left blank, as it was mutually decided that the decorations would just get in the way. One of the elves was even kind enough to bring in a comfy padded chair from who knew where and a foldaway desk for him to rest at and draw up his sketches for new ideas.

* * *

It was at that desk that found Harry on a brisk Saturday morning quietly sketching out an idea for some ceramic jewelry pieces when he heard the light tapping of someone knocking on the door. He pushed the desk aside and rose from the chair before crossing the short distance and opening the top half of the split door. To his happiness, he saw that his visitor was none other than his newest friend and fellow Puff, Hermione Granger. Her bushy hair fluttering in the light morning breeze while her slightly oversized front teeth nibbled cutely on her lower lip.

"Good morning, Hermione. What brings you by my humble abode?"

Hermione giggled at his greeting before shrugging, "I just wanted to see what you were up to, Harry."

He opened up the bottom half of the door and motioned for her to enter before returning to his chair and watching her as she moved about the small studio, examining the stored artwork. She peeked into a box and found a stack of ceramic leaves, all shaped and painted to look like he'd gone into the forest and collected the fallen ones from the ground. There was another box that held little figurines of various creatures that she suspected could be found in their Fantastic Beasts textbook.

"See anything you like?"

"If I said 'all of it,' would that be too cheesy?"

Harry laughed and shook his head, "Nah, I'd agree with you. Let me know if there's something you'd like to keep." Hermione silently nodded as she continued. It was a moment later when she inquired about the box full of broken pottery stuffed in the corner.

"That's my junk box. I'm going to try and salvage the pieces to make a mosaic eventually."

"Neat. What designs are you working on there?" She pointed to his sketches on the desk.

"I'm trying to create some ceramic pendants and bracelets. Haven't quite decided what my end goal is going to be. Do I want something that can be imbued with magic and therefore have an effect on the person that wears it or do I just want to make something that's pretty?"

"Hmmm…I would go for something that's just pretty. That way if it gets lost or sold in the non-magical world, you don't have to run the risk of violating the Statute of Secrecy."

Harry cocked his finger at her in agreement, "Good idea."

"So how are you enjoying your classes, Harry?"

Harry waggled his hand, "Some are fun, and some aren't. History of Magic for one is dead boring with the emphasis on _dead_. I swear that having a ghost teach sounds like a fun idea at first but the way he drones on; it's enough to knock out an insomniac!"

Hermione giggled at that.

"I think the next one that I have the biggest complaint about would be Potions. Professor Snape doesn't seem like the type that should be teaching the younger years on how to do anything really. If I were running this school, I'd restrict him to teaching only the fifth years and higher. I'm really glad that I got sorted to Hufflepuff as I've heard from Neville and the Weasley twins about some of the horror stories on how he treats the Gryffindors."

"Harry, you know that the twins embellish everything," Hermione gently admonished.

Harry bobbled his head and fluttered his hands, "Yeah, that's true about most things but I can still glean some truths out of what they say. So what about you? Which are your favorites and hated classes?"

Hermione hemmed and hawed, "I'm hesitant to admit that History is bumming me out but as long as I apply myself, I shouldn't have any problems. I spoke with our fifth year female prefect, Maisie and she recommended wearing earplugs for Professor Binns' class."

Harry nodded appreciatively at that.

"I'm also having a problem with our Defense professor. His stutter and that stench from his turban is really making it difficult to learn properly. I totally LOVE Transfiguration! It's a tough class but I've already figured out that it's their form of magical engineering. Charms are fun and I liken it to a magical form of physics class. Professor Flitwick is so likeable and you can tell he really enjoys imparting the information to his students. I agree with you that Professor Snape shouldn't be teaching the younger year levels. He's very strict and doesn't tell you how to do anything properly yet when you make a mistake, he has no problem yelling at you and sneering about it."

Harry agreed with her assessment, "Are you looking forward to our flying class?" She emphatically shook her head negatively.

"No, I'm terrified of heights. I would prefer to get an exemption to not take it but apparently they don't do that here."

Harry patted her on the arm, "Just stay with me, my dear and I shall endeavor to assist you in flying like the eagles."

She could only giggle in amusement at his words.

"Hermione? May I ask you a personal question?" She nodded and looked expectantly at him.

"From what I've noticed of your study habits and your memory, I would've figured that you'd get into Ravenclaw. Why'd you want to get sorted into Hufflepuff?"

Hermione's blush was of epic proportions and made Harry regret his question. She squeaked out that it was because of him that she pushed for it before getting wide-eyed at her confession and bolting out the door.

* * *

Professors Sprout and Filius Flitwick, the Charms professor, stopped by later in the day only to find the door locked and the shades drawn inside the studio. They even checked around back where the kiln was but no such luck was had.

"Oh, darn. He's not here. I wonder where he went to?" grumbled Filius as they contemplated whether or not to leave.

A moment later, Harry returned carrying a bucket of water and a shovel. He was surprised to see his two favorite professors waiting in front of his studio and approached apprehensively.

"Umm…professors? Is there something wrong?"

Both adults turned and their relaxed states eased Harry's worries a bit.

"Ah, Mr. Potter! No there's nothing wrong. We just came by to see the studio in action but you weren't here. What are you going to be doing with those?" Filius explained before pointing at the implements in Harry's hands.

"I was going to go down to the lake and try to find some decent quality clays. It's so much better if I can get it directly from the source rather than buying it from a store. Would you like to join me?"

Pomona and Filius glanced at each other and shrugged before gesturing for Harry to lead the way.

As the trio walked down to the lake's edge, Harry kept up a running commentary as to the reasons for his decision to get river or lake clay versus getting it from a store. He also talked about the inspirations he got from various things, people and locations around the school that went into each pottery or ceramic project.

"I'd love to examine the various plants and their leaves closer the next time I'm in the greenhouse, professor. I like to embed their patterns into the clay faces of my artwork. I've been starting working with a reduction process called 'raku' that allows me to burn their images directly onto the surface when the piece is immediately pulled from the kiln or firepit."

Pomona inquired about his long-term goals for the studio and what he hoped he'd be able to accomplish while there at the school. She also asked about how his other classes were doing and what he liked or didn't like about the subjects, teachers or students.

Harry was understandably hesitant to speak negatively about the staff but eventually opened up about his experiences so far, even though the term had just barely started.

"I had really high hopes for the Potions class but the professor doesn't seem to want to be there. He'll sneer at the class in general and me in particular for what reason no one seems to understand. His instructions on how to brew a potion consist of 'Your instructions are on the board, get to it.' There's nothing on proper equipment handling or laboratory safety; nothing on proper ingredient preparation and nothing on what to do if you make a mistake."

While he was explaining this, both professors glanced knowingly at each other. They knew that Professor Severus Snape was a difficult man to be around, let alone work with.

"There are a couple of other classes that don't…well, they're not the easiest environment to learn in."

"Which ones?" Professor Sprout asked.

"Defense and History. Professor Quirrel constantly stutters and has that god-awful stench coming from that turban while Professor Binns puts everyone to sleep with his droning lectures."

Both professors nodded sagely, "Just try to do your best, Mr. Potter. I'm afraid there's nothing either of us can do about it. There weren't very many qualified applicants for the Defense position and Professor Binns has been here for a long time." Harry dipped his head in understanding before changing the subject.

"Professor Flitwick? I was wondering if there were any charms that could be used to animate the decorations that I paint on my pottery?"

Filius smiled broadly, "There are indeed many charms to do that and I would be happy to show them to you, if you'd like?" Harry's beaming smile answered that question.

"Great! I'd love to get some of my masks to talk to people as they walk by or animate some of the scenes painted on the jars, pots and whatnot."


	5. Chapter 4

The flying lessons turned out to be a lot of fun. The Puffs lined up with the Claws opposite of them while Madam Hooch, the flying instructor, paced between them giving instructions on how to call the brooms to their hands then how to mount and hold onto the brooms. Hermione was clearly nervous about climbing into the sky on a wobbly stick of wood but Harry took her by the hand and whispered in her ear that he'd be right there next to her every step of the way.

"If you feel the need to stay within easy reach of the ground, then go ahead and do it. The instructor can't fault you for that no matter how much she may want to. Remember, it's your life and safety at stake so take it slow and build from there. Okay?" Hermione wanly smiled back at him and mounted the broom. She stayed within four feet of the ground and moved no faster than a person could walk at. Harry flew alongside of her, seemingly at ease despite his repeated denials of being on a broom before.

Over the course of an hour, Hermione gained enough confidence to try going a little higher and a little faster and before she knew it, she was gracing the skies over the Quidditch pitch like a bird born to it. Her fear of heights were still firmly in place but as long as Harry was there guiding her and offering encouragement, she subconsciously knew that they'd eventually fade away.

* * *

They'd heard later from some of the others that Neville Longbottom had broken his wrist during his first lesson. They also heard that Draco Malfoy and Ron Weasley had gotten into a bit of a scuffle and received detention for it. Hermione grimaced at the thought of fighting; it was so uncouth even if it _were_ a couple of boys.

"Shall we go visit Neville?" Harry queried, "It'd probably make him feel better." Hermione agreed so they headed off to the infirmary.

When they entered the hospital wing, they both spotted Neville lying in bed, propped up with a couple of pillows while trying to read a book with one hand. He glanced up and smiled when he spotted their approach.

"Hey, you two. What are you doing here?"

"Came to visit you." Harry said as he sat down on the side of the adjacent bed. Hermione sat on the available stool.

"How are you feeling, Neville?" she asked.

Neville held up his wrist and grimaced, "Madam Pomfrey fixed it in a jiffy but wants me to stay here for a while and not use my hand or wrist just to make sure there wasn't anything else wrong. It's been a pain trying to keep myself occupied, let me tell you. It's difficult to read when all you have is use of one hand."

Hermione scrunched up her face in commiseration, "I know what you mean. I'd love to know if the magical world has audiobooks so I could lie in bed and just listen to my texts."

Neville looked surprised, "That's a _thing_? I've never heard about those before."

"You can find some selections in muggle bookstores, at least the bigger ones have them."

Neville was thoughtful, "Neat. I'd love to see what's available then. Sometimes, when I'm working in my family's greenhouses, my hands get really dirty but I will still need to read something on the care of the plant. This audiobook idea would be great."

Harry interjected, "I doubt they have anything on magical plants but if you want, I can see if my aunt can find some audiobooks on non-magical plant care?"

Hermione looked concerned and shook her head, "How would he be able to play it? Non-magical devices don't work in the magical environment such as Hogwarts."

Harry shrugged, "Dunno then."

* * *

During his Astronomy class, the teacher, Professor Sinastra, had inquired why he'd not gotten the suggested brass telescope. He set up his muggle made telescope and focused it on Jupiter then did the same with one of the brass telescopes. He motioned for Professor Sinastra to take a look through both and tell everyone which is the better choice.

Judging by her gasp of surprise, it was clear as to which one was the winner.

"Mr. Potter! This is incredible, even the best magically produced telescopes aren't as clear as this one. Wherever did you get it?"

"From a camera and telescope store near my hometown in Surrey. I also got a carrying case with extra lenses and a couple of filters that were on sale." He pulled them out and showed the teacher and the others who had crowded around. "Would you all like to look through mine to see the ringed clouds on Jupiter?" He quickly looked through his scope and adjusted the position again. The others lined up to view through the lens at the majesty that is Jupiter.

Many of them gasped in shock at the clarity and the appearance of the Great Red Spot.

"Important thing to note on that giant red storm; it is one point three times the diameter of the Earth." Stunned looks on their faces were their only response to something so mind-boggling.

* * *

Harry was quickly coming to despise his defense class. The teacher was terrible at it because of his stutter and from the stench of what had to be garlic of all things coming from under his turban. Harry could only shake his head in confusion and a little bit of horror as to what the man's head must look like if he needed to use such drastic measures to hide a disfigurement or something.

The other reason he was coming to hate going to the class was the constant headaches he'd get every time the teacher would get near him, the stench not withstanding. The headaches seemed to be always focused around his scar, which worried Harry and also confused the heck out of him. He visited the hospital wing a number of times but the only thing the school nurse could do was prescribe a headache relief potion and suggest that he get some quiet rest.

* * *

Like with Hermione, Charms and Transfiguration were wonderful classes and the teachers to back them up. Both Professors Flitwick and McGonagall were widely recognized as skilled and knowledgeable teachers that enjoyed imparting their fields of interest to the students.

For their first Transfiguration practical where they were instructed to turn a matchstick into a needle, Harry had raised his hand and asked if there was something special about needing to turn a matchstick into a needle or if it were just the process they were learning. With a pleased smile, Professor McGonagall acknowledged that it was merely the process they were attempting to achieve and promptly awarded Harry five points for his concise inquiry.

He turned back to his desk where a matchstick lay there and picked it up to examine it. He'd read previously in his Theory of Magic textbook that intent was critically important in nearly all areas of performing spells. Next he fixed in his mind's eye, just what sort of needle he wanted his magic to change the matchstick into. He took his wand and with the proper wand movement, incanting _Mutaro._ He could feel a bit of a rush down his arm and through his fingers as he watched the matchstick change from a wood stick to a silvery, pointed metal needle complete with the hole in one end.

Professor McGonagall praised his efforts on a very successful transformation.

* * *

After class, Hermione cornered him and practically demanded to know how he managed to change the match into a needle so effortlessly. The fire in her eyes and the minute twitching of her fingers made Harry chuckle at her zeal as he began to explain his thought process to effect the change. As he was explaining, she whipped out her notebook and started taking notes. He guided her back to the desks, pulled out an extra match from his pocket and suggested that she try again.

Concentrating on the match and focusing on what Harry had explained, Hermione waved her wand, said the incantation and let out a happy squeal as the match transformed into what she wanted.

Beaming, Harry congratulated her in his best 'professor voice,' "Excellent job, Miss Granger. Five points to you."

Hermione giggled and gently whapped him on the arm before grapple hugging the stuffing out of him.

"I can't believe how easy it was. Everything I've read in the books just doesn't explain it as well and as clear as you did, Harry. Thank you."

* * *

In Charms class, their first practical was performing the _Lumos_ wand lighting charm. Professor Flitwick admonished that anyone who pointed their wands at someone else with the intent to blind them would be given detention and the loss of points. He darkened the room a bit so the light from the wands would be easier to see and guided everyone through the wand movements and incantations. Soon the room was brightly lit enough to read by.

Harry was examining his wand and grew curious. He'd read that there were other words he could add to the core spell to make them do specific things. He extinguished the light before reapplying it with a modifier.

"Lumos azure!" The wand lit up with a blue tint to it. Flitwick noticed (it was hard not to in a room full of white light) and brought it to everyone's attention.

"Congratulations, Mr. Potter! Very well done. See here everyone? By using the modifier of 'azure,' Mr. Potter was able to create a blue light. That gives me an idea." He wrote on the blackboard several different types of modifier words such as: 'rubrum' for red; 'flavo' for yellow; 'viridi' for green.' "I want you all to try the same wand movements but this time, add the modifier to the charm."

Within seconds, the room was filled with a rainbow of multicolored lights. Grinning widely, Flitwick awarded everyone five points for a successful attempt while giving Harry ten for coming up with the idea in the first place.

* * *

It was a sunny Thursday afternoon when Harry and Neville spent their free time after classes just getting to know one another. They'd quickly discovered that both of them had a love of gardening (Harry for his inclusion of plant fibers and patterns into his pottery; Neville just loved plants in general.), both were quickly becoming disillusioned with the defense teacher and were starting to hate the potions professor. Neville filled Harry in on what it was like growing up in a magical home while Harry did the same for the muggle world.

"I gotta show you the Royal Arboretum and Conservatory in London, Neville. You'd probably let out a croaking sound before either passing out from shock or you'd have an accidental magic episode."

Neville chuckled, "What's so special about the place? I kind of figured that it has something to do with plants but (he gestured with his hands at their surroundings) I can get all that here."

"Well, I don't want to ruin the surprise but do you really think that the greenhouses have specimens from all over the world in specially built environs made to look like their natural surroundings? Not to mention the fact that everything you'd see there was done by muggles who have no idea about magical Herbology?"

"Wow, in that case then I'm going to look forward to seeing it. Thanks." Neville grinned at his friend. "What else there to do in the muggle world?"

Harry gestured widely, "Just about anything you can think of! Granted if you mentioned riding a dragon or a hippogryph, they'd probably look at you funny but there are places to get rides in an airplane or a balloon. There are museums and art galleries for all interests, there are the cinemas, the beaches, and the arcades, camping in the forests; there are theme parks, going to the mall if you like to shop…really, the possibilities are nearly endless." He finished breathlessly.

Neville could only shake his head in wonder. _'The magical world certainly doesn't have that much to offer.'_

* * *

As night fell, they packed up their bags and headed inside to the Great Hall to have dinner. Harry invited Neville to join him at the Puff's table. Neville commented that he thought that everyone had to stay within his or her own houses for meals.

Shaking his head, Harry replied that it was only for special occasions like the welcoming and leaving feasts, visiting dignitaries or any other special occasion as required by the headmaster that everyone had to go to their respective House tables. Clapping his hand on Harry's shoulder, Neville pointed to the Puff's table and declared, "In that case, Onward, food!"

Neville did get a couple of curious looks from the others at the table but no one came out and demanded to know what was going on. He was pleasantly surprised and impressed with how friendly and warm everyone in the House of the Badger was. It was a far cry from the constant hustle and bustle of the Gryffindors.

Hannah Abbot got Harry's attention about halfway through the meal curious as to why Neville was there. Harry repeated the same information he told Neville about the rules about table seating and why. This surprised everyone who overheard or were just outright eavesdropping. Behind them, a couple of bold Slytherins got up and headed over to the Ravenclaw table to where their friends were sitting. A quiet word to their friends and the Slytherins were quickly included into the group.

* * *

By the time that Halloween rolled around, many things had happened at Hogwarts in general and to Harry in particular. First was Hermione Granger's birthday on September 19th; Harry was lucky that he'd remembered to ask when it was. He had grown attached to the spunky, intelligent and driven young girl and decided to make a lovely necklace and bangle jewelry set for her. The necklace pendants had tiny runes etched into them that when imbued with a bit of magic would provide a bit of protective power that would cause anyone with ill-intent towards her to suddenly lose interest. The bangles had little decorative stones embedded along the outside that were purely there for looks.

He'd kept up a correspondence with his account manager regarding the Goblin's efforts to contact those who were mentioned in the Will as well as finding and retrieving the lost or stolen money and artifacts. Riptooth had written that he'd managed to contact Remus Lupin and that the man was going to be making all efforts to arrive as soon as possible.

Sirius Black was unavailable due to the fact that he was in Azkaban Prison, supposedly for being the betrayer of the Potters as well as the murders of 12 muggles and Peter Pettigrew. Riptooth reminded Harry that he knew from the Will that Sirius couldn't have betrayed his parents and was still all he could to get the case heard by the DMLE.

Harry wrote that since Professor McGonagall was here at the school, he'd speak with her as soon as he got a chance.

* * *

_19 September 1991_

_Dear Diary,_

_Wow! Today I turned twelve years old. I just can't believe that I'm older than my friends. Heh, friends…it's such a nice word to be able to say with happy feelings. I've finally been able to make friends who want to be around me, not just for my knowledge or homework abilities, but because they want to be my friends. There are two girls in my House; Susan Bones and Hannah Abbott, both of whom I share a dorm with. They've grown up together, so that first night I was worried that I'd be a lonely outsider like normal. Nope! They drew me into their conversation about what they'd hoped to learn and explore that very first night after the Welcoming Feast. _

_I found out that Susan comes from a very old family; they have the title of the Noble and Ancient House of Bones. Hannah on the other hand, comes from a family not as old as the Bones' and just has the title of the Ancient House of Abbott. It's a fascinating subject on the history of the magical families within Britain. I'm sure there's a book on it in the library. Heaven knows that Professor Binns isn't going to teach about it! He's too focused on the Goblin and Giant Wars._

_Anyways, like I said before, today is my birthday and Harry Potter was such a sweetie! He remembered and even gave me a handmade gift of ceramic jewelry! Awww! The necklace had these pendants that resembled polished pebbles in what he described as a 'primitive style.' They ranged in color from a dusky orange and graduated to an onyx black. Each pendant was inscribed with protective runes and was such a thoughtful gift. (I've been having problems with some of the Slytherins.) Both Susan and Hannah went in together and got me my very own copy of 'Nature's Nobility.' It's a history of the magical families within the UK. I had no idea that Harry's family was even older than the Bones'! (I wonder if he does?)_

_Again, I'm SO glad I got into Hufflepuff! They are a loving bunch of people who have the mindset that there's plenty of time to study without going overboard (guilty). After a couple of hours, they insist that we get up and go do something unrelated to schoolwork to keep our minds and bodies refreshed. It was totally confusing that first week or so. The desks in the Common Room are charmed to get up and move away from you after a set amount of time. It's basically a signal that you've been in one spot for too long and need to take a break._

_Well, I gotta go. Some of the girls are getting together for a slumber party and I've been invited!_

* * *

After dinner one evening, Harry approached Minerva McGonagall and asked if he could speak with her privately regarding some information discovered while he was at Gringott's over the summer.

Nodding, she guided him to her office. Once inside, she silenced and locked the door.

"Now, Mr. Potter; what seems to be so important that it needed to be done privately?"

Gathering up his courage and pulling out his copy of the Will, "Well, it's the contents of the Potter Family Will, professor. You were named as a beneficiary as well as someone who I could've been raised by. Here, this is my copy of it." He handed it over and allowed her a moment to read through it. Minerva's eyes narrowed and a mien of dark anger swept over her face. Taking a fortifying breath to calm herself, she looked back up at Harry, who was looking rather apprehensive.

She held her hand up, "Rest assured, Mr. Potter. I'm not angry at you but rather the idiotic old goat who managed to convince me that leaving you with your aunt and uncle was a good idea."

The look on confusion was readily apparent on his face as she continued, "I was there that night when Headmaster Dumbledore left you on the doorstep to your relative's house. To my eternal shame I didn't try to fight against his decision hard enough. I knew how much your aunt hated magic and anything that had to do with it yet Albus…and his stupid 'Greater Good' practically demanded it and ignored my complaints. I've tried many times over the years to visit you but for the life of me, I cannot remember where the house is…" She trailed off uncertainly.

Harry blinked at that explanation, "Well, to put your mind at ease; my aunt and uncle along with my cousin Dudley and I are on good terms. They treat me like one of the family and I have a comfortable life there. I have my own room and I have a pottery shed out back that Uncle Vernon and I built last year. It was only when I got my Hogwarts' Letter did they tell me anything about my parents or the magical world but I kind of understand."

Minerva must have looked a bit appalled at that so Harry gestured with his hands and explained further, "Imagine growing up knowing all about the magical world and Hogwarts but the Letter never shows up? Aunt Petunia was already bitter and angry for a variety of reasons at the magical world and this would've been just one more thing to be upset about if I'd never gotten it."

Sighing, Minerva accepted that, "Still, I am sorry that I was never there for you."

Smiling, Harry nodded and suggested that she get in contact with Riptooth over at Gringott's so he could take care of the Will's bequeathments and if she'd be so kind as to not mention it to the headmaster.

With a knowing look and especially after what she'd read within the documents, Minerva agreed.

* * *

Harry'd finally got fed up with the near constant throbbing pain from the headaches he'd get every time he had to sit through Professor Quirrel's classes. He found out the address to the main magical hospital in London, Saint Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and wrote them a letter outlining everything that had been felt, observed and scanned by either himself or Madam Pomfrey. He inquired if there were any surgical procedures that could be accomplished to just outright remove the scar from his forehead.

Rather than writing back, Saint Mungo's sent a Healer and a Cursebreaker out to personally examine him. What their deeper scans revealed shocked and horrified them. The Healer explained the pain Harry was feeling was from a sort of 'dark entity' trying to push its way out from behind the scar tissue. When further inquired as to when this had started, Harry replied that it was only when he first arrived to Hogwarts and since then only in the presence of Professor Quirrel. The Healer and Cursebreaker glanced at each other worriedly before the Cursebreaker turned and floo called the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

While that was happening, the Healer had received permission from Harry to contact Professor Sprout as his Head of House and acting as '_in loco parentis_,' to perform the surgery initially requested. All it took was a stunning spell, a numbing potion and a deft hand to physically remove the scar and the surrounding tissue from Harry's head. The wound was then magically healed so well that no one would've been able to tell that he'd had something there if they hadn't met him previously.

* * *

"Madam Pomfrey? Will you be telling the headmaster about what happened here today?" Harry asked after he regained consciousness. She shook her head no.

"Unless it's directly related to the safety of the school, it's none of his business. Why?"

Harry grimaced, "Well, according to several events that I've recently become aware of, the headmaster has been doing…well, bad things regarding me or nothing at all."

She must have looked confused at his quasi-explanation so he tried again, "This past summer when I went into Gringott's, I discovered my parents' Will and that not only was I not supposed to go to my aunt and uncle's care but I was supposed to be raised by my godfather and his friend, Remus Lupin. Also, the headmaster has been trying his best to drain my accounts dry and steal my property."

Pomfrey looked aghast at that, "Mr. Potter, are you sure about all that?" Harry nodded affirmatively, "I hope that you've contacted the DMLE about this?" Again he nodded. "Well, good… Okay, don't worry about our conversation or your surgery. Stupid old man, I don't know _what_ he's trying to get away with!"

* * *

When Harry returned to the Puff's Common Room, the first thing everyone noticed was his new lack of a scar. This led to many questions as to what happened and why. Harry patiently answered as many of the questions he felt comfortable with. Fortunately, the Puffs weren't the sort to keep pestering him with all sorts of questions that he wouldn't be comfortable with answering. Hermione sat next to him the entire time and held his hand, giving the occasional squeeze of comfort and reassurance.

* * *

Next was his request to have a private chat with Professor Snape. The sour-faced man was rather curious as to why the spawn of his hated enemy was seeking him out. When the rest of the class had left for the day, Harry stayed seated.

"Professor? I'd like an explanation as to why you seem to hate me. I show up to each of your classes fully prepared, I've read the required chapters and even have practiced some of the potions in the Puff's laboratory space just so there's no confusion here. I can't imagine what I've could've done or said in the short time that we've been together that would make you dislike me so much."

Severus was stunned at Harry's eloquence. He frowned and immediately wanted to retaliate by declaring the child to be just as arrogant and spoiled as his father but paused for a moment before he pursed his lips as he formulated his response, "Mr. Potter… (Sigh) It's not you per se but rather whom you resemble and represent that compels me to lash out like I do. You're right, I have no excuse for treating you like this simply because you closely resemble your father. He and I were enemies during our school years together."

Harry slowly nodded as he digested this revelation, "And what about what I represent?"

Severus swallowed hard, "You represent my failure at keeping your mother as my friend during those same years. I fell in with the darker elements of the school and did and said things that caused our friendship to break. To my dying days, that will forever haunt me and I sincerely wish I could take it all back." He slumped back in his chair and picked at a spot on the desk.

The two were silent in their own thoughts for a few moments before Harry spoke up.

"Professor? Thank you for letting me know. I never really knew my parents, I've been raised by my aunt and uncle who prior to me getting my Hogwarts letter didn't really talk much about them. I'm sorry that you felt that way about my dad but please remember I'm not him. I'm just…me."

Severus nodded morosely and dismissed Harry.

* * *

Then there was the rumor of a three-headed dog hidden away on the forbidden third floor corridor. It did cause Harry to have a _bit_ of curiosity towards the mystery but he would just shrug off the feeling whenever it came up. He was there to learn to be a wizard, not to go off on a wild adventure down forbidden corridors. _'What am I? Some kind of dim-witted, easily distracted by shiny things Gryffindor? Ha!'_

For Halloween itself, Harry had spoken to and received permission from Professor Sprout to not attend the Halloween Feast and instead hold a private vigil for the ten-year anniversary of his parents' murder. The headmaster had put up a bit of a snit about Harry's inattendance to the Halloween Feast but quickly backed off after Pomona grabbed his long beard and hauled him out of the room for a bit of a 'chat.'

As a thank-you present, Harry made up a dozen different pots, figurines and planters to replace some of the worn ones that were scattered throughout the Hufflepuff Common Room.

* * *

In a spontaneous gesture, Hermione offered to spend the evening with him to keep him company so he wouldn't get too morose. Harry gave her a warm hug and thank you. The two of them had a quiet dinner down in the kitchens, where they had a nice conversation about things in general before they got their Hogwarts letter. Hermione was a refreshingly intelligent person that didn't judge him on something he _supposedly _when he was a mere toddler. She didn't just blindly accept the belief that Harry was some kind of 'savior' because 'everyone said so.'

Hermione, on the other hand, was intrigued by Harry's love of all things pottery and artistic. She mentioned that it flew in the face of everything she'd read about him and that it was nice to know that he seemed like any other boy his age. Harry gave her a mock-pout and puffed up a bit, categorically stating he was _not_ like any other boy his age… he was a god!

With a disbelieving stare, Hermione demanded he clarify that.

"I know I'm a god. I can prove it by walking into a crowded room. Someone will see me and declare, 'Oh, god, it's you!'"

She nearly fell off the bench from laughing so hard!

* * *

_1 November 1991_

_Dear Diary,_

_Last night was Halloween and normally I would've gotten dressed up in a costume and gone trick or treating if I was younger. Now though, I don't need to get dressed up in a costume because EVERYONE around here is dressed as a wizard or witch! HAHAHA!_

_Because my parents are dentists, we don't really celebrate Halloween as a time to go out and get crazy collecting candy. I don't know why not though, you'd think they'd be okay with it seeing as how excessive candy and sugar rots people's teeth and therefore is good for my parent's business…_

_Anyhow, I offered to spend Halloween with Harry after learning about how he was going to hold a quiet vigil in memory of his parents' murder this night ten years ago. I'm glad he accepted, it was a nice time just spent between the two of us. Nothing elaborate, we just had dinner down in the kitchens and talked about our lives before Hogwarts. It's nice to see this side of him even though it was set against the backdrop of sadness. He's so warm and witty, in direct opposition to what the books say he's supposed to be like._

_I found out later that it was a good thing that we were in the kitchens safe and sound because rumor had it that a wild animal had gotten loose in the castle! That would've been too scary for me. _

_I have to reiterate that despite being away from home and my parents longer than a couple days for the first time in my life, I'm really enjoying my time here at the school. Yes, there are a few problems but what thousand year old school doesn't have its problems? _

_That redheaded boy from Gryffindor, Ron Weasley…wow, how he manages to walk upright without dragging his knuckles is an amazing talent of his. Even Crabbe and Goyle from Slytherin have more social skills than Weasley does! He tried to insult me when I offered to help him with his Charms work but rather than running off and crying because of his offensive words, I just holed up with my roommates who blasted him with insults of their own. Some of them were even funny!_

_God, imagine having to share a House or even dorm with the twit? I shudder at the thought…_

* * *

When the two children got back to their Common Room after dinner, they were besieged by everyone demanding to know if they were okay and where they were all night. When asked why; one of the prefects mentioned that a troll had gotten into the castle and was rampaging around unchecked. Professor Quirrel had run into the Great Hall during the Halloween Feast and alerted everyone that the troll was loose in the dungeons; Dumbledore idiotically had sent everyone back to their dorms, either forgetting or not caring that the Puffs and Slytherins were _located_ near or in the dungeons.

After confirming that they were fine, Harry and Hermione gave each other one last hug and went to bed.


	6. Chapter 5

_**In the Headmaster's office…**_

Albus Dumbledore was in a right royal snit though he'd never admit to it. _'How had things not gone according to my grand plan? The boy should've been raised in a cold and harsh environment with those damnable muggles to make him pliable for my guidance! What changed? Then for the brat to not get sorted into Gryffindor? His parents were there so it should've stood to reason that the boy would go there as well! I just can't believe that a Potter is in Hufflepuff; a member of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Potter in amongst the duffers and nobodies.' _He took a deep breath and let out a shuddering sigh. _'At least he didn't end up in Slytherin. That would've been disastrous. What does it do for the prophecy with him being amongst the Badgers? I can't even get him to investigate the third floor corridor. I need to think on this…'_

* * *

Harry received a letter from Riptooth the morning after Halloween, stating that the Goblin's side of the investigation into the misappropriation of the Potter funds was proceeding on track and they looked to have all monies and property fully back in the correct vaults by the end of the year. In addition, the case against Sirius Black had hit a bit of a snag since any correspondence that Gringott's had with the Ministry had to go through the Goblin Liaison Office of the Magical Beast and Creature Control Department, which was chronically understaffed.

Harry wrote back thanking Riptooth for getting the financial stuff done in a timely matter then requested a certified copy of the paperwork and other documentation they'd done. He mentioned that the niece of the Director of Magical Law Enforcement was a member of his Hogwarts House, he was on good speaking terms with her and that he'd try to get the DMLE's attention that way.

* * *

_**In the Great Hall, during morning tea…**_

Harry was sitting amongst his friends during their morning tea quietly observing everyone around him while he idly made some figurines out of polymer clay. His fingers were busily working while he watched the Weasley twins yet again pull a prank on their younger brother. They had apparently slipped some kind of potion into his cup of tea that gave the boy a pig's snout and bunny ears.

Harry snorted lightly at the sight and shook his head at the humor. _'It never ends with that family, does it?'_ Millicent Bulstrode of Slytherin House was sitting with them and chatting with Hermione about something school related when she turned to face him after she overheard his snort. With a questioning tilt of her head, he smirked and gestured with his chin at Ron Weasley's new look. She looked over at the spectacle going on at the Gryffindor table then rolled her eyes and grunted in mild derision before getting back into her conversation.

* * *

Vincent Crabbe sat down next to Harry and observed his work with the polymer clay. Pointing at it, he asked where in the world did he find that kind of clay.

"It's called 'polymer clay.' It's a type of hardenable modeling clay based on the muggle polymer polyvinyl chloride or PVC." The look of blank confusion made Harry chuckle. "All you have to remember is that it's muggle in origin." Crabbe slowly nodded in acknowledgment.

"So what brings you over here? You're usually grafted onto the side of Draco."

Crabbe grinned and shrugged offhandly, "Not _all_ the time. I just got curious as to what you were doing. You always have something creative going on."

Harry smiled back, "What about you? I've heard that you're into metalworking?"

Vincent blushed a bit, "Some. I haven't really gotten involved with anything serious. I mostly make flowers out of easily bendable metals."

"You ever work with a forge?" Vincent nodded.

"At home. I doubt the teachers here would let me set up a forge and do some real crafting."

Harry looked thoughtful, "Have you approached Professor Sprout? She's the one whom I got permission to set up Potter's Place from. I'd imagine she'd let you if you could prove to her that what you make is safe and not going to be used as a weapon. You'd also need to prove to her that you know what you're talking about."

The look on Vincent's face was priceless. His head was tilted off to one side, his eyes glazed as though the power had been cut and his mouth slightly open. Harry laughed and tapped him on the forehead to wake him up.

"Seriously, let's go ask her. She's sitting up there at the Teacher's table." Harry said as he rose to his feet.

Vincent immediately got nervous, "Umm… A-are you sure? I'm not even in her House!"

Harry shrugged, "Only one way to find out. Come on." He dragged a mildly protesting Vincent up to the front and approached his Head of House.

* * *

"Professor Sprout? Vincent here has a question he'd like to ask you." Vincent glared at him before gulping and facing Pomona.

"Ahem… Umm… Pro-Professor Sprout? I was wondering if…" He sighed then dug deep inside himself for courage, "Would you be willing to let me set up a small metalworking shop alongside Harry's pottery area?"

Pomona was surprised by the request. In all her years at the school, Harry was the first to instigate any serious sort of arts program. It was a refreshing change of pace, really. Now standing before her was another student asking for the same chance. At first she was rather hesitant; after all, the boy was a Slytherin and their manipulations of others was legendary. On the other hand, the boy _was_ only a first year and as far as she'd observed, hadn't tried anything malicious.

"Mr. Crabbe, is it?" He nodded. "Mr. Crabbe, I think it would be better if I were to discuss with you about this at a later time so I can gauge just what your skill level is. I assume that you've had some prior experience working with metal?"

"Yes, ma'am. I've got a forge at home and have worked with my father and uncle in their shop. They usually have me making small pieces like decorative hooks or edge filigrees for picture frames."

Pomona nodded appreciatively, "Very good. As I suggested, why don't you and I along with your Head of House meet later after classes to see what else you know. I will also be contacting your father and uncle for their insights and opinions."

Vincent shyly smiled back, "Thank you, ma'am."

Harry grinned happily and lightly slugged him on the shoulder, "See? I told you so."

* * *

It was a chilly but still sunny early afternoon that Saturday when Harry approached Susan Bones. The redhead was busily chatting with her best friend, Hannah Abbott about random 'girly' things and gasped a bit when he appeared in front of them.

"Hey, Susan. You got a minute? I have a question to ask you."

Both girls giggled and Susan nodded, "Sure, Harry. What's up?"

Gesturing at the open space next to them and getting a nod of approval, Harry plopped down and began to lay out his problem, "The thing is, I need to get in contact with the DMLE about a problem my Goblin account manager and I found but every time we try, we get shunted off to the Goblin Liaison Office."

Susan looked bemused, "So let me guess. You want me to contact my auntie and have her talk with you?"

Harry nodded, "That's about the size of it."

"I know she'll ask so do you mind if I know what this is about?"

Taking a fortifying breath, "Sirius Black was wrongly imprisoned within Azkaban for something he didn't do. On top of that, he's my sworn godfather."

Both girls' eyes went wide open! Talk about a shocker! "B-but, he killed 12 muggles and Peter Pettigrew after betraying you and your parents. Everyone knows that!"

Harry shrugged and picked at his pants leg, "I'm only saying what was in the Potter Will. So? Will you get in contact with your aunt about meeting me?"

Susan gently grasped his hand and promised she would at the first chance she got.

* * *

Once Harry had felt that he'd settled in to the ebb and flow that was the Hogwarts students' life, he began to expand his friend base and seek out other people from the other Houses. He approached Draco and let the boy know that he was open to meeting his friends as long as they understood that Harry was not interested in any of the politics that went on amongst the Families. "I just want to make friends. I'm only eleven, the politics can come later."

Draco understood and introduced him to some of the kids from the better-known families in his House. He met Daphne Greengrass, Tracy Davis, and Theodore Nott and was greatly amused by the antics of Blaise Zabini. The Italian-born Zabini was always cracking subtle jokes or making somewhat not-so-subtle innuendos about everyone and everything.

Whispering to Draco during one such performance, Harry commented that if Blaise and the Weasley Twins ever got together, all Hell would break loose. Draco merely shuddered at the thought and glared at Harry. "Thanks, Potter. Now I'm going to have nightmares about that!"

Daphne's personality was at first kind of cold but every now and then Harry would get the impression that the face that she portrayed to the world was just a mask to protect her from potential and unwanted attention of the others.

Tracy was an open book in regards to emotions, surprisingly enough. Harry'd always thought that Slytherins were supposed to be cool, calm and collected but found out that image was merely the one they showed to the outside world. Within the green and silver walls of the 'snake pit,' things were more relaxed.

Theodore, or Theo as he requested he'd be called, was about as close to being a Ravenclaw than even Hermione was. The difference being that Theo wished to gather knowledge in order to gain wealth and power while Hermione wanted knowledge for knowledge's sake and also to make friends.

Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode made up the last two of the Slytherin first years that associated with Draco. Pansy was a gossipy sort of girl, who at this point in her life didn't really have that many ambitions that she wanted to accomplish other than finding the right husband. Harry was a bit disconcerted about that since they were only eleven but Draco quietly explained that amongst the aristocracy of the magical world, this sort of thing was expected.

Millicent, or Millie as she wanted to be known as, was a quiet girl with a sweet voice that belied her size. When dressed in the school robes, she appeared to be on the heavy side but it was revealed that the robes were cut at the shoulders and had no real shape to them. It turned out that Millie had a natural bodybuilder's form and was rather embarrassed by it.

"I don't know why you would be," Harry had remarked when he found out about it, "In the muggle world, you'd be looked upon with a bit of envy from the other girls. I see nothing wrong with the way you look." The teary eyed look of appreciation and the strong hug he'd received was enough to make even the hardest heart melt a bit.

* * *

One thing Harry found out that amongst the businesses they owned, the Bulstrodes had a small side company that supplied artist crafting tools like brushes, oil paints, different types of exotic clays and other fascinating materials.

"Millie, have you stopped by to see what I've been working on in my art studio behind Greenhouse One?" She shook her head.

"I've only heard a little bit about it. I was too shy to join everyone in its creation. What do you work on there?"

"Pottery and other ceramic arts. I figured early on that I ought to live up to my last name." He finished with a lop-sided grin.

"Wow, I'd love to see some of what you've done. Wait, didn't you give Granger some ceramic jewelry for her birthday?" Harry nodded.

"Yup. I also populated the Puff's Common Room with all sorts of decorative wall hangings and planters. Most of the senior staff also has a couple of mugs or some kind of stoneware made by me."

"Stoneware? I thought you made stuff out of clay?"

"Stoneware and earthenware are both made from clays, it's just that stoneware is fired at a higher temperature and is less porous and stronger than earthenware." Millie just slowly nodded as she accepted that, even though she clearly didn't understand what he'd said.

"Can you give examples of what stoneware looks like?" Draco asked.

Harry paused and glanced up to the ceiling as he thought about it, "Let's see, I think the best example of stoneware would be the dishes and crockery used in cooking, as long as it's not placed under direct heat. It has to have certain properties to be labeled 'oven-safe'"

Daphne interjected, "So, something like a baking dish for a turkey or something?" Harry cocked a finger at her and nodded.

* * *

Plans were made to visit and see what a Potter could come up with when given the opportunity. Harry pulled Draco to the side before he left and asked him why Millie had addressed Hermione by her last name and flinched a bit when he used _her_ first name.

Draco scratched his head and shifted his stance, "Well, it's because Granger never gave us leave to _use_ her first name and Millie never gave you permission to use hers. It's a social convention amongst the older families. I'm surprised that your guardians never taught you."

Harry grimaced slightly, "I was raised by my muggle aunt and uncle. They don't see the need for learning stuff like that unless I were to be in a situation where I was meeting someone from the royal family or something."

Draco was shocked, "Muggles? You were raised by _muggles?_"

Harry looked puzzled, "Yeah, so what? They're family."

Blinking in surprise, Draco merely shrugged at the question, "I guess if that's the only family you've ever known then who am I to sneer at it. It's just that all the known stories have you living in some big castle going on adventures and learning exotic magics."

Harry burst out laughing, "You mean those stupid children's stories like _'The True Life Adventures of Harry Potter'_? I saw those things and they're utter garbage! I spent the past ten years in a little suburb of Surrey with my maternal aunt, uncle and cousin. The most exotic place I've ever been to was the beach near Brighton." He continued chuckling at the thought of being a globetrotting traveler.

* * *

Harry sought out Hermione later that afternoon and told her what he'd found out about why the Slytherins tended to use last names when addressing someone. Her look of surprise and horror at the thought she'd been rude to Millie and everyone else made him feel a bit of sympathy.

"It's just so you know, Hermione. I didn't know either but now that I do, I'll make it a point to give them permission after the start of a conversation."

"Why didn't I know that? With all the books I've read, there's _nothing _in them that even _hinted_ about this sort of thing," she exclaimed as she tugged on her hair in frustration.

Harry shrugged, "Maybe it was the wrong books, I dunno. Have you tried to look up the etiquette books in the library? If anything, go talk with Millie and have her help you with that part of your education."

Hermione subconsciously nodded, her mind veering off onto looking back through all the interactions with the magical community since her introduction and not liking what she remembered.

"I-I need to go apologize to Millicent and the others!"

Harry held his hands up, "Whoa, easy there Hermione. I'm sure that you can apologize at dinner. Maybe it would be a good idea to have a gathering of everyone so we can both explain our behaviors from both sides of the magical divide."

That slowed her down. She paused and narrowed her eyes at him as she contemplated it, "That's…a good idea, Harry."

* * *

_**In Draco's dorm room that evening…**_

Draco paused in thought as he composed his weekly letter home to his parents. Life at Hogwarts was pretty much going as he'd expected. He was the undisputed Prince of the first years and making in-roads with the second years. He'd made a few contacts for possible alliances and found that he really enjoyed winding up the Gryffindors.

It was Harry Potter though that confused him. The raven-haired boy just wasn't _anything_ like the stories suggested he was supposed to be like. He was bright, talented and had an easy-going personality that made everyone want to trust him…

He'd written these observations about Potter to his parents and had received instructions to maintain this tenuous relationship in the hopes that perhaps the Potter heir could be swayed to the pureblood ideals.

_'Not bloody likely since it was members of his own family as well as members of the other dark families that caused Harry's family's demise. Still, it's nice to hang out around him. He brings a refreshing outlook on the world around him that speaks of a hidden leadership talent. People tend to just do what he suggests and he's even been seen joining in on whatever group project there might be. He's open and inquisitive without being rude. He does have his moments where he might say or do something strange but he'll recognize it a moment later and explain himself.'_

"Like that bit about using someone's first name even if you're not given leave to do so," he mused out loud.

* * *

After making friends with the first year Slytherins and also by extension some of the older ones when they observed the so-called 'Boy-Who-Lived' acting like an ordinary kid, Harry moved onto seeing whom he could make friends with in Ravenclaw House. Terry Boot invited him up into the Eagle's Nest and the two began sharing what it was like to live and learn in their respective Houses. A couple of the other interested first years floated over when they spotted the newcomer to their domain. Terry had described the tower as being very elegant and it really was. There were plenty of windows to let in lots of natural light, wall to wall bookshelves filled with tomes of just about every description and topic. Harry commented that he was surprised that any Ravenclaw ever felt the need to go to the main Library when they had all this.

"Well, most of the time we don't descend into that one but every now and then the required text just can't be found up here." Terry explained. "So what's it like down in the Badger's Den?"

Harry sat up as he thought about his answer, "It's like…coming home. The Common Room is laid out like a bowl with couches and chairs at various levels, each conforming to the shape and curves of the walls. The walls are painted to look like you're underground so there are a variety of browns, greens, some gold accents and black. There are a lot of windows there as well but they're tinted to a slight honey-amber color to give the impression of a sunny, lazy afternoon. The atmosphere is cool but not cold like you'd think you'd find in something underground. There's always some sort of scent from whatever's being cooked in the kitchens since they're just across the hallway from us. The hallways within and dorms are laid out in a sort of warren like you'd find if you could shrink yourself down to that of a badger. I share a room with two other boys. We each have our own space to have a desk, a small shelving unit for our books and supplies though with my traveler's trunk, I have a LOT more space to set things up as I see fit."

"Wow, sounds very homey." Harry just nodded as he leaned back in his chair.

One of the girls in their group asked if the rumors were true that Harry managed to prank the Weasley twins. Harry nodded and mentioned that he'd gotten help from the castle elves in order to pull it off.

"I don't mind being the occasional butt of a joke, since it's just all part of the fun but when they ventured into disturbing my learning and endangering my creative works, I had to put my foot down and make sure they understood that just because they consider themselves to be great pranksters doesn't mean that no one else is capable of such feats." That statement impressed the others, as learning was paramount to a Ravenclaw.

* * *

Glancing back at the guardian to the entrance door, Harry got a slightly mischievous on his face.

"Say, Terry? Who is it that's allowed to change the password to the guardian?"

"We don't use a password here; we have to answer a riddle to gain entrance."

Harry's mischievous look grew bigger, "So…who gets to change it?"

Terry shrugged, "One of the prefects, I'd imagine. Why?"

"I just had a wild idea on how to mess with everyone. See who's the smartest once and for all?"

* * *

The two boys got up and went to find out the answer to Harry's riddle resetting question and learned that it was indeed only the prefects or their Head of House who were allowed to change the riddle. When the prefect inquired as to what sort of riddle Harry had gotten an idea for, the evil smirk was back in full force.

"Okay, first possibility. 'What color is an orange?'" The Claw prefect's eyes bugged out on that as he immediately saw the logic trap.

"Second possibility is the one question any guy would absolutely dread to hear. 'Does this outfit make me look fat?'"

Terry looked confused on that one, "The guardian wouldn't be wearing an outfit, and it's only the bust."

"The bust part goes how far down?"

The prefect hemmed a bit, "Maybe about halfway down the chest?"

"Well there you go. You can still pose the question as anyone can see that it's wearing some kind of outfit."

The prefect shuddered, "Okay, I can see the logic trap for the first question but what's the answer for the second?"

Harry shrugged, "The answer that many girls want to hear, 'it looks really slimming on you.'"

Terry held up a finger, "I want to know the answer to the first one. It's got to have an answer right?"

The prefect responded instead, "The correct answer is 'They're one and the same.'"

Harry just smiled evilly.

* * *

_**Teacher's staff room…**_

The senior staff had gathered for one of their monthly meetings to discuss the goings-on within their hallowed halls. Severus was one of the first in and after getting himself a cup of tea and settling down in one of the chairs, began ruminating on the events of the past couple of months. He had surprised himself by thinking of how much it was a joy to be teaching the Potter boy. The child was nothing like he'd been imagining the spawn of James Potter to be. Harry was studious, attentive and showed no signs of trying to be an attention-seeking prat unlike his father. The boy was fairly good at working with the assigned recipes and had even come up with a few novel alternatives with the ingredients and the procedures in the brewing process. He glanced up as the others began filtering into the room.

When Albus finally got the meeting started, Severus noticed that any questions regarding the boy were answered succinctly and in some cases, with joy at how much of a pleasure it was to have him in their classes. The look on the headmaster's face however, showed that such answers weren't being received so happily. _'I wonder what that's about?'_

When the staff was dismissed at the end of the meeting, Severus hung back. "Sir? Is there something troubling you?"

Albus merely waved off this inquiry as unimportant, "Nothing is wrong, my dear Severus. I just have a lot on my mind as usual." Severus nodded and left.

When Albus returned to his office, he sank into his chair and began to think about the conversations that had happened. _'The boy isn't behaving like I thought he would. It doesn't help that he wasn't sorted into Gryffindor like his parents were. Then there's his demeanor. It's almost as if he grew up in a loving household as opposed to the one I observed all those years ago. Lily's sister was known to be a magic-hating muggle after she was denied access to our world. He doesn't act like he's been downtrodden and had his will broken like I would've hoped. He's instituting changes and making friends with the children of the darker families. I don't understand what could've changed!'_


	7. Chapter 6

_**Up on the landing to the Gryffindor Tower…**_

Harry was in conversation with the famous portrait known as 'The Fat Lady,' also known as Margaret, guardian to the Lion's Den. Though she wouldn't allow him entrance without an escort, she was delighted to find someone with an artistic talent who was more than happy to just talk about what life was like looking through the canvas.

"It's an interesting experience for sure," she explained, "when I was first woken up, I thought I was trapped and unable to move anywhere. It was the same feeling you'd get if you were trapped in a net. I then found out that was normal until I was hung on the wall and through the magic of the castle, I was able to learn how to navigate around."

Harry tilted his head as he ran his fingers over the painted surface, "What does it look like when you travel between frames? Does the world look different to you versus what you remember from when you were alive?"

She glanced to either side of her, "It kind of looks like an open doorway between rooms. The world doesn't really look different. There are times, depending on the position of the light, that it does look a bit grainy like looking through a slightly dirty window but otherwise it's normal. So, was there anyone within that you were interested in finding or did you just come to see me?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him, teasingly.

Harry smiled warmly, "Would it be too cheeky of me to admit both? I was hoping to meet up with either Neville Longbottom or the Weasley twins."

She returned his warm smile with one of her own, "No, it wouldn't be that cheeky. It's actually rather nice. I wish there were more students like you who took an interest in how we portraits were created. As for the Longbottom boy, last I saw he was headed towards the greenhouses. The twins I recommend staying away from, as they're nothing but trouble. But if you _really _want to talk to them, give me a moment." With that she got up and walked out of the frame.

* * *

When she returned, the frame opened up to let the twins come walking out, large grins on their faces.

"Ahh, Harrykins!" they exclaimed.

"What can we…" began one.

"Do for the one who…" the other ping-ponged back.

"Pulled a delightful prank on us?" they both finished in stereo.

Harry laughed at their wordplay, "You guys never fail to bring a laugh to those around you. Listen, I had a couple of ideas for a prank but no real means to pull it off."

With a flourish, the twins grandly escorted Harry to an out of the way empty classroom.

"So, young Harry, what did you have in mind?" one of them inquired. Harry decided to label him 'Twin One' and the other 'Twin Two.'

"Well, a couple of background questions first. According to rumor is that you're able to either get your hands on all sorts of materials, potions or the like for your pranks, right?" They nodded. "Okay, next question is who do you consider to be the ultimate target for pranking?"

Twin Two responded that the headmaster was generally considered to be the one true target for magical mayhem. "The thing is, no one has been able to magically put one over on him. He's too shifty for anything to stick, as it were."

Harry beamed at this and spread his arms out wide, "Well, there's your answer and my suggestion as how to solve that problem. Instead of pranking him magically, why not prank him _non-magically?"_

That got their undivided attention. Twin Two even asked, "What sort of pranks can you do non-magically in a magical castle?"

Harry's evil grin was just beginning to grow while elsewhere in the castle the headmaster suddenly shivered in fear for no apparent reason.

* * *

Two days later, as everyone was sitting down for their breakfasts, the headmaster made his way up to the staff's table and glanced around him through his enchanted glasses. He sighed at the rather pathetic attempts to prank him or the others. _'Spoons enchanted to flex and spill their contents, goblets with false bottoms to prevent consumption, oh this is new, a napkin with a Impermeable charm on it. Clever, that undoubtedly would prevent me from cleaning up my messes.'_

He sat down on his chair and immediately there was a loud, wet 'BBRRRRTTT!' that sounded uncannily like he'd just messily passed gas. On top of that was the overpowering stench of bowels being released. The other teachers around him frowned then began gagging at the stench permeating from under the headmaster as they quickly abandoned their places at the table.

"Albus? Did you perhaps eat or drink anything that you shouldn't have?" Minerva dryly commented as she covered her nose and mouth with a napkin. Her face was turning a distinct shade of green.

Albus could only look on in horror as he shifted in his seat and felt the uncomfortable sensation of something squishing coming from the cushion. He could feel whatever it was soaking into his robes. The look on his face was priceless as he imagined whatever it was, was leaving a stain.

* * *

Down amongst the students, the Weasley twins had jumped up and began chanting 'WE GOT HIM! WE GOT HIM!' over and over as they combined a sort of happy jig. Hermione glanced over at the noise the twins were creating and wondered about it until she spotted the look on Harry's face. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion and got the green-eyed boy's attention.

"Harry? What. Did. You. Do?" she whispered.

The smug grin was all that she needed as a response but his words just accentuated it, "Me? I didn't _do_ anything." One of her eyebrows quirked up in continued suspicion and he slumped in his seat in defeat. "Okay, fine. Wow, you're really good at getting information out of someone without saying a word."

"Don't change the subject, Harry. Now what did you do?" she warned.

Gesturing lazily with one hand, "I may or may not have suggested a few non-magical pranks the twins could pull on the headmaster. Rumor has it that the headmaster is the highest target one could find here in the castle. He's apparently never been pranked magically."

Hermione caught onto the operative word, "Magically. So you came up with a suggestion to get him using non-magically." Harry nodded appreciatively that she caught on so quickly.

"I offered the suggestions while letting the school's known pranksters do all the 'dirty work' if you will. What just happened up there was a Whoopee Cushion filled with chunky gravy and the contents of a dungbomb."

She just sighed and thumped her head on the table.

* * *

Harry was busy working in Potter's Place on some new techniques he'd read about when Millie Bulstrode stopped in to finally see what the buzz was about. She was impressed by the appearance and texture covering the exterior walls. They seemed to invite people to touch and run their fingers over the surfaces. The plaster was both warm to the touch and cool at the same time. She peeked in through the windows and spotted Harry busy molding some clay on a spinning wheel. She quietly entered and examined some of the other vases, pots, plates and sculptures resting on the shelves. She smiled at some of the whimsical decorations embedded in the walls and hanging from hooks. All in all, it was the perfect place to come up with something artistic.

"See anything you like?" Millie was startled out of her reverie and whirled to spot Harry watching her with a knowing grin on his face, the wheel slowing to a stop.

Shaking herself slightly, "Everything? It's so comfy in here. Now I understand why you built it."

Harry just silently smiled back at her.

Millie looked up and spotted the golden constellations painted across the ceiling, the stars glinting in the light. She stepped into the rainbow light falling from the skylight and watched it as it danced across her arms.

"I don't think I'd ever want to leave, it's so beautiful."

Gesturing about him, Harry replied that she was welcome anytime she wanted. "Thanks. My only request is that you sign your name in the guest book along with the 'materials check out' book sitting on the bookshelf so I know what will need to be replaced or replenished."

Millie joined him at the potter's wheel and asked what it was he was working on. "I'm working on creating a batch of mugs to be given out as gifts this Christmas. What I'm doing here is creating the basic shape then after it dries a bit, I'll go back and, using some narrow painter's tape, apply it in various decorative line patterns. Once that's done, I'll apply another layer of clay slip."

"What would that achieve?" she asked.

"Well, when the slip dries, I can then remove the tape revealing the underlying layer of clay. If I use a slip that is tinted another color, there will be a contrast to what's below. It'll be more apparent after it's fired." He explained.

"Neat. What about painting it?"

Harry shrugged, "It's an option though for this batch, I'll just be using the tape."

"May I sit here and watch?"

"Sure but if you want, I have some others here that you can experiment with. I have another wheel I can set you up on." He rose from his chair after she had nodded her desire to help out.

* * *

The two children worked in relative silence. Millie was focused on remembering what Harry had told her while Harry was busy with his batch and simultaneously keeping an eye on her. They took a break after about an hour so Harry could show her some of his other creations as well as a few from the occasional curious student or teacher.

"What was really surprising was when Mr. Filch showed up and made a water and food bowl for Mrs. Norris. It had some simplistic pictures hand painted to look like little fishies and a cat's paw print. It wasn't anything elaborate but nevertheless, by the end, I got to see something that I don't think anyone else has in living memory."

Millie was wide-eyed during the story and gasped, "What? What did you see?"

"I got to see him smiling, and not the evil smiles he usually gives whenever he catches a student where they're not supposed to be but an actual, honest, happy smile."

Millie just slowly shook her head in disbelief, "Wow…"

* * *

Once the mugs were done and they had cleaned up the mess, Harry took Millie out to where the wood-fired kiln had been built.

"This is the kiln I use for firing the pottery. It uses wood to heat the firing chamber and takes a fair amount of fuel to reach the proper temperatures. I would request that you don't attempt to use this on your own until I can get some time to instruct you properly, okay?" She accepted that.

Harry quickly lit the fire and set the flue to the primary exhaust as the heat began to rise and he began to load the pottery chamber with Millie's help. Once that was done and he confirmed that the fire temperature was where it was supposed to be, he changed the position of the flue gate to send the heat into the pottery chamber.

"So how long does it take for the pottery to…cook?"

"Generally it depends on what kind of effect I'm going for and what type of materials I'm using. For this batch, I'm estimating that it should take no more than a few hours. There is a schedule to follow on how long and at what temperature though using magic does help quite a bit."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, through the use of Potter family magic, I'm able to speed up the drying time before putting the pieces in to be bisque fired." He then went on to explain the different steps needed to be reached before the final glaze firing.

* * *

"So what's going on over there?" Millie asked as she pointed to an area that had been marked off and the ground dug up.

Harry glanced over to where she was pointing, "Oh! That's where Vince got permission to set up his metalworking forge and crafting space. It looks like it should be fascinating to watch. I plan on helping out since he helped out here."

Millie looked mildly impressed, "Metalworking, huh? Any idea as to what sort of things he's going to make?"

Harry shrugged a shoulder, "No idea. I know I've seen him sketching a few things out and sending letters back and forth to his dad and uncle."

* * *

Millie continued to stop by Potter's Place but not to work on pottery. Instead, she had expressed an interest in painting. She had sent for and received her personal collection of paints and brushes from home and began to sketch out some scenes that she'd wanted to do since arriving at the school. Harry helped her install a cabinet for her to store her extra canvases and easels along the East wall.

Professor Snape stopped by once to see what sort of artwork and ceramics Harry had been working on. He watched as the boy took a lump of local lake clay and began squishing and kneading it then began to flatten it out using a mallet. Harry then used a scribing tool to mark out the outline of what appeared to be a flattened fish before trimming away the excess. Next, he used a wooden wedge as a form for the fish shaped slab. He pushed one end up, pulled another side down, twisted here, and tugged there before finally applying a bit of magic to dry it to where it would no longer try to fall apart.

Harry put that aside then began finishing up another prior piece. He spotted the professor observing in the corner of his eye but didn't acknowledge the man. He pulled out his glazes and began applying the first layer. After letting that dry, he added different blue-green glaze that had a bit of metallic flake in it.

Once the final coat was on and sitting on the rack to be taken out to the kiln did he finally turn and face his potions professor. "Was there something I could help you with, professor?"

Severus shook his head, "No. I merely stopped by to see what you were working on. You've created quite a stir amongst the students and staff in a very short time, Mr. Potter."

Harry snorted, "I can't tell if that's a good or bad thing. I'll just assume it was a good thing and leave it at that." He stretched his arms and winced when he felt the joints popping.

Severus looked closer at the eleven-year-old pottery prodigy, "Mr. Potter. I just now realized it but you no longer appear to have a scar."

Harry yawned then kind of smirked, "Nope. Haven't had it for a while now."

"May I ask your reason for getting rid of it?"

Harry leant back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head, "It was causing an untold number of headaches every time I was in the defense class. I had no luck with just Madam Pomfrey prescribing a pain potion every time I went to see her so I wrote to Saint Mungo's and asked for their help. With the description and observations I'd written about, they sent a Healer and a Cursebreaker to investigate closer. I don't know specifically what it was that resided in my scar other than it was some kind of 'dark entity.'"

Severus slowly nodded as he thought about it, "And so the two of them removed the scar and the surrounding tissue."

"Exactly. Granted, I had to clue them into that idea. I guess actually cutting something from the body isn't something they normally think of doing."

Severus shook his head slowly, "No…that's usually looked up on as a barbaric practice suitable only for the muggles despite the fact that it's a perfectly sound procedure. So you have no more pain?"

Harry gestured widely, "Nope. Free and clear! That makes me very happy."

"I'm surprised the headmaster allowed you to go through with it."

Harry looked puzzled, "Why would he? I had permission from my Head of House as my in loco parentis so there was no need to inform the headmaster."

Severus shrugged with his hands, "I don't know either. It just seems that the headmaster is inordinately involved with your well-being for some reason."

Harry looked pensive for a moment, "Professor? Will this conversation get back to him?"

"Not if you don't want it to."

"Good. Keep this between us but over the summer prior to September, I found out from my account manager that the headmaster has been stealing money and valuables from the family vault while claiming it was being used for my upkeep with my family."

Severus looked pensive, "That's…disturbing, Mr. Potter. Does your account manager know just what was taken from your vault besides the money?"

Harry shrugged briefly, "I have the letter that Riptooth sent me in my trunk. In addition to the money, the headmaster took several books of advanced age and on a variety of topics. He also had in his possession something called a 'pensieve,' an invisibility cloak of indeterminate age and was using a property in Spain that belongs to my family as his own winter vacation spot."

Severus was disgusted of the thievery by the old man. He knew that the headmaster would be able to spin anything he did as part of some nebulous 'Greater Good' and therefore would be able to weasel out of any sort of legal punishment. "I hope that these items the headmaster took have been recovered and checked for any 'additions?'"

"According to my account manager they're in the process of recovering them and charging the fees to the headmaster's account."

* * *

"So, Professor? What do you think of the talents of Vincent Crabbe? I love some of his designs that he's been sketching out."

Severus actually smirked, "It's fascinating to be sure. I never knew the boy had it in him, as he's usually so quiet in class and in the dorms. Are you going to be assisting in the construction?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, and I'll be supplying him with some smelting crucibles for the forge."

* * *

Harry was invited to have dinner at the Slytherin table that evening. While there, he quietly listened and observed how the older students discussed the events and topics of gossip from the day. He had to suffer a few undisguised and disgusted stares as he sat down amongst them but those were only from the members of the darker families. Draco asked him what he'd been up to as he handed over a bowl of mashed potatoes.

"Well, I got done some of the whimsical wand holders and another batch of mugs. Mille helped with those before getting setup to do some painting of her own. She's actually pretty good at landscapes! I don't know what she does with them all but I could easily see some of her paintings being displayed in an art gallery somewhere. Also, Professor Snape stopped by!"

Draco and the others stared at him in stunned silence, "R-really? What did he do to you or the shop?"

Harry scrunched his face a bit in bemused puzzlement as he shook his head, "He and I spoke about some of my creations as well as touching on Vince's metalworking project. He's impressed that you have such a, as he puts it, 'fascinating talent.'"

Vince's mouth slowly fell open in surprise. Tracy leaned over and tapped it closed again. "He really said that about me?"

Harry nodded as he chewed on a piece of fish. When he finished swallowing, he replied, "Yup, he said that he was impressed because you're normally so quiet during class and in the dorms. I get the impression that he had thought you are a bit of a simpleton but that's just my take on his observations."

Vince rolled his eyes, "Great. My Head of House thinks I'm a simpleton."

Harry gestured with his fork, "No, that's my observation of his observation. I could be totally wrong on that but does it really matter? Your Head of House has noticed you. From what I've learned, it's a good thing."

"Especially in Slytherin," Draco interjected, "It means that you're worthy of his attention and he might have bigger plans for you or thinks you're worthy to be introduced to other people who could help you in life." Harry pointed at Draco with his fork and nodded in agreement.

* * *

Daphne leant closer to join in, "So getting back to Millie's paintings. I heard she just stashes them away in a closet in her room at home."

"Who stashes what away in their room?" The group looked up to see Millie approaching.

Harry snarked back, "We heard that you've been stashing the bodies of those who would dare mock you."

Millie just laughed and snapped her fingers, "Darn, you weren't supposed to find out about that!" That got everyone else to laugh along with her as she settled down into her chair.

"Seriously though, Daphne here heard that you've just been stashing your completed paintings in your closet at home."

Millie nodded, "Yup, nowhere else to put them. I've got about a dozen with no homes. I've already put them up all over the place in the manor and a couple of the outlier buildings."

"Have you ever thought of displaying them in an art gallery? Does magical Britain have such a thing?"

Everyone looked thoughtful before shaking their heads. Draco even commented that he'd never heard of one in Diagon Alley let alone Hogsmeade.

"It does sound like a great idea though," he said. "Just imagine what it could do for the school if we were able to showcase what students could do in their own time?"

Tracy quipped that it would also prove that Hogwarts was in desperate need of a proper art class. "I know they have a club of sorts but it doesn't meet all that often. Not enough interest, I guess."

Harry gestured with his fork, "If you find out who they are and if they need a place to gather, let them know that Potter's Place would be happy to host them." Tracy nodded in acknowledgement.

"Actually, you've given me an idea. I wonder if there'd be any interest in holding workshops on how to make your own mug or something at Potter's Place?"

Daphne quietly twittered, "Harry, you could offer to show them how to wallow around in mud and I guarantee that you'd have a multitude of people lined up."

Harry dropped his head and groaned, "I had hoped that by this point people would see me not as some mythical savior but as just an ordinary kid who loves magic and making art."

Tracy patted him on the head, "No such luck for you, Potter." Harry glared at her balefully while the others laughed at his exasperation.

* * *

After dinner, Harry wandered through the hallways aimlessly. He passed by Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, as she prowled around keeping an eye out for misbehaving students and mice. He came up on the Grand Staircase and decided to just climb wherever the stairs led him. After about ten minutes of directionless climbing, the stairs stranded him on the third floor landing. He looked around and realized he shouldn't be there. It had been forbidden to all by the headmaster back at the start of school.

He patiently waited for the stairs to turn back and rescue him but they seemed determined to ignore him. _'Stupid stairs. Well, nothing for it; I'll just sit here until they make up their nonexistent minds.'_

As he waited, he laid down and gazed up at the ceiling, he could've sworn he heard a low and deep growling sound coming from somewhere deeper down the corridor. He briefly thought about investigating but quickly shook off that idea. _'Nope, I promised Aunt Petunia that I wouldn't get involved with anything crazy. There's nothing that going to cause me to go down a dark, dusty and spooky corridor to find out what's making the growling noise.'_

He looked down over the edge of the landing and spotted the caretaker, Argus Filch making his way up one of the other stairs. Calling out and waving his arms, he got the man's attention. "Mr. Filch! Up here on the third floor landing! Hi! Do you know how to get the stairs to come back this way? There's something growling down the corridor and I'd rather not become its next meal!"

Mr. Filch yelled back for him to not move whilst he went and got a teacher to magically trigger the stairs to move back to their original points. He quickly shuffled away while Mrs. Norris appeared from nowhere and merely sat there and stared at him. Harry waved at the cat and chuckled when she just growled at him and looked away. _'Don't move, he says. Like I'm going to go swinging from the chandelier while I'm waiting.'_

* * *

Mr. Filch returned with Professor Flitwick who activated the charms to reset the stairs. With a grinding sound, the stairs returned to their starting positions, which allowed Harry to quickly scramble down and join the adults.

"Thank you, Professor Flitwick and Mr. Filch. I thought I was going to have to spend the night up there. That'll teach me to wander about this place."

"What were you doing up there in the first place, boy?" Argus growled at him.

"I was just wandering around after dinner before heading back to my dorms for the evening. I'd heard there were some nice sculptures up on the fourth floor and wanted to see them." Argus looked suspiciously at him before grunting _'likely story'_ and heading off with Mrs. Norris following along behind.

Harry looked in askance at Professor Flitwick who merely rolled his eyes and shook his head in exasperation. "Don't bother, Mr. Potter. No one really understands his motives."

"Why is he even here? I've never seen him perform magic to assist in cleaning."

Filius blushed a bit and glanced around before saying quietly, "That's because the man is a Squib."

"A what?"

"A Squib is someone who is born to a magical family but has no magic of their own. Apparently, this is the only job that he's able to get in the magical world."

Harry scrunched his face up at that, "What about going to the non-magical world? There's got to be _something _he could do there?"

Filius just shrugged, "I'm not sure and frankly, I'd be hesitant to bring it up with him as it's a bit of a sore subject. Was there anything else you needed, Mr. Potter?" Harry shook his head. "Then I wish you good night."

Harry continued to stand there in thought for a few moments before heading down to his dorm.

* * *

_**Just around the corner from the Grand Staircase…**_

Albus was fuming at what he had just witnessed.

_'Blast that boy! I was sure that if I guided the stairs to leave him stranded on the third floor landing, he'd get curious enough to go investigate. I even hit him with a mild Compulsion charm to egg him on. He couldn't be THAT strong-willed…'_

He quickly shuffled off back to office to continue to plan his next move. Something else was niggling at his memory of the boy. Something he'd seen…_or not seen._


	8. Chapter 7

**_Back in September…_**

Amelia Bones, Director for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, was sitting at her desk reading the latest reports from her Aurors. Or at least she was trying to; her Aurors weren't the best at proofreading and editing their sentence structure. _'I feel like I ought to break out a red pen and make the corrections before sending it back to be fixed properly.' _She shook her head and grumbled before giving up on the report and tossing it back on the desk. She rubbed her tired eyes and leaned back in her chair contemplating whether or not if there was still time to make a career change.

A knock on her door startled her out of her reveries, "Come in!" she barked. In walked Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt, one of her best and most laid-back Aurors she'd ever had the privilege of working with. She sighed and held out her hand for the report.

Kingsley merely shook his head, "No report yet, boss."

Narrowing her eyes in suspicion, "Then what brings you by? It can't be because of my good looks."

Kingsley smirked at her obvious attempt at humor, "No, but I just received a floo call from a cursebreaker assigned to Saint Mungo's. He and a Healer were attending an underage patient at Hogwarts regarding a cursed scar.

Amelia's eyes widened, _'A child with a cursed scar?'_ "How bad was it?"

"Bad enough. The diagnostics registered it as Dark Magic and contained… what did the Healer call it?" He flipped through the documentation quickly, "Ah, yes. A 'Dark Entity.' After gaining permission from the child's Head of House, an emergency surgery was performed to excise the scar, surrounding tissue and the 'Dark entity' from the patient's forehead."

Amelia's face grew puzzled as she mentally sorted through the information. _'Scar, child at Hogwarts, located on the child's forehead?' _ Her puzzlement changed to one of consternation, "Shack, please tell me that this patient wasn't Harry Potter?"

Shack merely handed her the documentation. She read through it quickly and sighed again. At least now her day was going to be interesting.

* * *

_**Present day…**_

Amelia was a woman on a mission. In the intervening couple of months, she'd spoken with the Healer and Cursebreaker from Saint Mungo's and gotten a copy of their records for her report as well as any insights they might've had. The Healer had said that the patient in question remarked that whenever he was in the presence of the Defense professor, the scar would sting and cause numerous painful headaches. When Amelia tried to confirm that the patient was actually Harry Potter, the Healer grew stern and repeated that due to patient confidentiality rules, she could neither confirm nor deny the identity.

She did reach up and tug on her hair while simultaneously tap on a potted plant. Amelia's eyes narrowed then immediately widened when she caught the implied message.

Amelia had asked her secretary to contact Shacklebolt and if she could manage it, send word to the Director of the Department of Mysteries then send both to her office. After that she stated that the three of them weren't to be disturbed for anything short of all out war.

Twenty minutes later, Kingsley knocked on her door and was bid to enter. Amelia looked around and wondered when Director Croaker was going to show. Knowing the man as she did, she merely called to the open air, "Alright Croaker, enough with the theatrics! I'm a busy person and don't have time for this crap."

"Awww, Amelia! You're no fun sometimes," came the sound of a mock-whiny voice from the shadows in her office. Stepping out of those shadows was an elderly man of indeterminate age wearing a grey cloak. He impudently grinned at her and took a seat.

Amelia gestured to Kingsley, "Shack? This old coot is Director Croaker from the Department of Mysteries. He's here, I hope, to shed some light on the background for that cursed scar we were initially told about." She turned to Croaker and just gave him a pointed stare.

Croaker gazed back with a bemused smirk before throwing his hands up, "Okay, okay! I give! Don't hurt me. Sheesh. The scar in question does in fact belong to Mr. Potter. Well, it did until the Healer excised it from his head. Brilliant idea on that surgery by the way from whomever it was that suggested it."

"Do you know what the Dark entity was?" Kingsley asked. Croaker nodded.

"Yes, it was an inert fragment of the Dark Lord's soul."

Silence reigned…

"_IT WAS WHAT?!"_ Amelia screeched. Croaker merely stayed silent, as he knew it was a rhetorical question.

"We examined the fragment after we recovered it from Saint Mungo's and can conclusively prove that it was indeed an inert piece of the soul from Lord Voldemort. It's dead now that it's no longer receiving magical sustenance from Mr. Potter.

Amelia could only mutely shake her head in shock. She then asked, "_Why_ was it not discovered earlier?"

Croaker shrugged, "I doubt anyone took the time to examine the boy after that night. Dumbledore had snatched him away before anyone could get a look in and for the past ten years the boy has been living in the muggle world."

Kingsley spoke up, "Dumbledore has claimed he has been the boy's magical guardian this entire time, right? It makes me wonder why he's never said or done anything before. Why now and why did it take the inquiry of an eleven-year-old to get the situation resolved?"

Amelia's face grew dark, "I think it's time we head up there and ask for ourselves."

* * *

Harry had received an official looking letter from Director Bones the day after her meeting with Croaker and Shacklebolt.

_15 November 1991_

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_My name is Director Amelia Bones and I've been reviewing your case into the detection and removal of your famous cursed scar. I wished to let you know that I along with two other coworkers shall be arriving at the castle tomorrow morning to discuss this issue further. _

_Please secure a location for us to speak privately._

_Amelia Bones, Director DMLE_

"Huh," he commented quietly. Apparently not quiet enough as Susan turned and tilted her head in silent question. He held up the short message and replied that it was from her aunt in response to the scar surgery he'd had back in September.

"I have no idea where in the castle would be secure enough to hold a meeting. The headmaster has spies everywhere!" He widened his eyes comically and stage whispered that last bit which caused her to giggle and whap him on the arm lightly.

* * *

_**The next morning…**_

Amelia, Kingsley and Croaker arrived at the castle just after morning tea. Harry met them at the main entrance and led them downstairs to the entrance of the Hufflepuff House.

Curious, Amelia asked why they were heading here. Harry turned to look back, "I figured that the headmaster would have his spies and whatnot all over the place so I figured my trunk would be the best place to have a private meeting."

Amelia's eyebrows rose, "Your _trunk?_"

Harry nodded as he gave the password to the portrait, "Yup, I have a four room traveler's trunk I found in my vault this past summer after I got my letter and got into Gringott's." He motioned for the trio to follow him through the warren of hallways to his dorm room. Upon entering, they spotted that Justin Finch-Fletchley was the only other occupant in the room. The boy was lying on his bed reading a comic magazine.

"Hey, Justin!" Harry said as they entered. Justin just gave a lazy wave in return and didn't even look up.

Grunting in amusement, Harry opened up the lid to his trunk and started clambering down the ladder with the other three following behind. Turning to face them, he gestured over to the couch and chairs in the study area of the living room.

"Go ahead and make yourselves comfortable. I'll go fetch us some drinks." He headed into the kitchen.

Amelia glanced around and was duly impressed, "I wish I had one of these during my training days at the Academy. It would've been nice to have my own space." Kingsley quietly chuckled while Croaker smiled.

After Harry came back, bearing a tray of Butterbeer bottles and got settled, he turned to Amelia and asked what she wanted to know.

"Well, I wanted to know how you're doing post-surgery? Any problems that we should know about?"

Harry pursed his lips in thought, "No, I can't think of anything. The headaches disappeared and I'm able to see a bit better when I take my glasses off."

Croaker sat up and asked if he could examine the area where the scar used to reside. Harry didn't mind so Croaker cast some diagnostics and nodded to himself after they cleared Harry of any trace of Dark magic.

"He's clean. It's as if there was never any problems to begin with."

Harry grinned, "You should've seen the look on the Healer's face when I suggested the surgery."

Croaker returned the smile, "I can well imagine. That was a brilliant idea, by the way."

* * *

"Director Bones, since you're here I guess I can finally ask you if anyone's made any progress in my claim that Sirius Black is innocent of the charges of betraying my parents to Voldemort?"

Amelia frowned, "No, I can't say that I've heard about this. When did you file the complaint?"

Harry grunted, "Well, that's the thing. My Account Manager sent in the paperwork for the investigation back in August but because he's a Goblin, the request was shunted off to the Goblin Liaison Office and we've not heard about it further."

Amelia hummed about that then waved her hand at him to continue, "Assume that it was lost in transit and just give me the complaint."

Harry held up a finger as he rose from his chair, "I can do you one better. Let me get you a copy of my parents' Will." He hurried out of the room.

When he came back, he handed her the copy and stayed quiet while she read, occasionally sipping on his Butterbeer. When she was finished, she leant back in her chair and quietly contemplated the ceiling.

"Mr. Potter? This is a very serious complication, no pun intended. I don't know what happened during his trial, as I wasn't in charge of the case back then nor was I in a position to investigate. Allow me some time to review this and get up to speed as well as make an interview with Black, himself."

"That's assuming he's even sane at this point," Kingsley interjected.

Harry looked puzzled, "Why's that?"

"Because the Dementors of Azkaban make you relive your very worst days and suck out all happy feelings from your mind. If those worst memories are all you have left, most prisoners go insane within a matter of days."

Harry grimaced at that thought, "Then I wish you all the luck, Director Bones."

As they were getting ready to leave, Harry asked one final question, "Do either of you know whom I could get in contact with to report the presence of a large and potentially dangerous creature here in the castle?"

* * *

_**In the Headmaster's office…**_

"_WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR BLOODY MIND WHEN YOU DECIDED TO HOUSE A CLASS FIVE DANGEROUS BEAST IN A SCHOOL FULL OF CHILDREN!"_ Amelia bellowed at the top of her lungs the moment she entered Dumbledore's office. Albus could only look back and blink stupidly; this wasn't what he expected to have happen.

"It's nice to see you too, Madam Bones. To what do we owe for the pleasure of your company," he drawled in belated amusement.

Amelia narrowed her eyes dangerously at the old man, "Don't go trying for cute, Dumbledore. Answer the damn question, why is there a Cerberus in the school?"

Albus' eyes widened a fraction of an inch and he paled a bit though with the amount of hair on his face, it was rather difficult to detect.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Amelia. There must be some mistake."

Amelia wasn't buying it, "So if I were to go up to the third floor corridor and look for myself, I won't find anything dangerous?"

"Umm…"

Amelia placed her hands on his desk and leant over menacingly, "Get rid of the animal, Dumbledore. Today; if I get a note from anyone that this hasn't happened within two days, I will be back with an entire squad of Aurors, Beastmasters and Unspeakables and we will tear this place apart." She turned and strode from the room, slamming the door behind her.

Albus could only let out a squeak and sink back into his chair.

* * *

The next weekend, Draco found Harry sitting with Hermione and a couple of other muggleborns doing…something. After being greeted by Harry, Draco nudged him and pointed at the item of interest.

"What's that?"

"We're playing Monopoly. Would you like to join us?"

"Um, sure. What's Monopoly?"

Hermione got a glint in her eye as she replied, "It's a game that I'm sure was tailor-made for crafty people like Slytherins. The objective of the game is to win as much money and properties while making deals and crushing your enemies."

Draco quirked up an interested eyebrow and glanced around at everyone, "Really? Could I sit in on the next game?" Harry nodded and the others grinned.

* * *

Four hours later and Draco was grinning madly at the amount of 'money' he'd won in the last round of Monopoly. Harry was laughing his head off at the look on the blonde boy's face as he scooped up the paper money while chanting, "Mine! Mine! All mine!"

Sighing in amusement, Hermione just patted Draco on the back and congratulated him on a well-played game. He turned to her and asked what other sort of games did they have here in 'Puffland?'

Harry snorted, "_Puffland?_"

"Badgerville?"

Harry just snorted again and shook his head in amused exasperation, "To answer your question, we have a ton of different games. Some are board games like the one you just played, while others are card games then there are the physical games and stage performances we put on during the weekends."

Draco was impressed, "Stage plays? Really? Neat. What sort of plays?"

Justin gestured idly, "It depends on the mood of the audience and the performers. Sometimes, we'll act out scenes from wizarding stories though lately it's been leaning towards muggle stories more. Last week, we had a performance of the story of Sleeping Beauty."

"I have no idea what story that is but I'm intrigued anyway."

Hermione motioned for Draco to follow her and led him over to where they stored the board and card games. She opened the closet and pointed out various boxes for games such as Chinese checkers, Canasta, Backgammon, Uno and many others. "We also have jigsaw puzzles ranging in skill levels from beginners to expert.

Draco had a revelation when he saw all the games, "Now I understand why Puffs never get into trouble! You have so much cool stuff that you're always kept busy."

All Puffs that heard that grinned in smug satisfaction.

* * *

It was the start of December and Harry was lazing around the castle. He'd already finished his homework but really didn't have the drive to work on the pottery. He wandered along the pathway that meandered down the middle of what was quickly becoming known as 'Artist's Row.' Vincent Crabbe was only the first to follow in Harry's artistic footsteps and get themselves a workshop built for their particular craft.

There was a workshop for metalworking, woodworking, weaving and other textile crafts, a studio for painters and those who liked to draw; there was even a space for those liked to practice the musical and performance arts.

Harry waved to the other students he was familiar with and nodded politely to those he didn't. Nearly everyone found a reason to stop by and explore the shops in hopes of learning or even buying something interesting. Those who ran the shops held impromptu weekend classes on how to make various items. For example, in the woodworking shop, those who attended the class got to make and take a small handmade storage box while those who attended Harry's class would get to make and take their own pottery.

* * *

_**At the December staff meeting…**_

Albus got the meeting started by asking about the progress of their students' instruction results. Everything was going according to the curriculum with no major surprises so he turned the conversation over to the latest addition to the Artist's Row.

"I must admit that I'm concerned with how distracting these workshops can be to the students' educations. I didn't mind when it was just Harry Potter that had a small shed set up but with the recent addition of the musicians, I'm wondering if it was too much, too soon?" He mused. Pomona raised her hand.

"Headmaster, I must disagree vehemently. In the past couple of months, I've noticed a definite upswing in the childrens' concentration and the kinds of questions they ask. If anything, I think these workshops are a blessing because it gives them something to apply their magical learning towards."

Filius leant forward, "I agree with Pomona. I've also had students of all years asking questions on how to cast charms for various things that normally wouldn't have been taught until either late in their seventh year or further into their Masteries."

The other teachers concurred with Pomona and Filius that the students were surging ahead in their respective classes and making wonderful progress.

Albus got the discussion back under control, "That's what I mean. There are first year students asking questions and learning things far faster than they should be safely doing. I feel that I must ask you to consider putting a stop to these activities and workshops."

The others stared in mute horror until the silence was broken by hysterical laughter, "You _must_ be joking! That's got to be the _dumbest_ thing I've ever heard you say!" The look on the headmaster's face was priceless though the fact that Severus voiced the observation may have had something to do with the look.

"You're just upset that no one asked you for your permission nor was it you that came up with the idea for the artist zone. You're jealous. Jealous that someone else came up with an idea that the rest of the school is rallying behind." He chuckled as he shook his head at the old man.

Albus looked perplexed at the usually dour man, "Now Severus, I don't think that's fair of you…"

Severus interrupted, "It doesn't matter though. The Row is here to stay and is not interfering with the operations of the school so you have no basis to see to it being stopped. Besides, I think if you tried, you'd have an uprising on your hands the likes of which would make a rampaging herd of trolls look like a garden party."

Minerva agreed, "He's right and you know it, Albus. Leave it be."

* * *

Harry exited the doorway leading to the kitchens with a bottle of milk in one hand while munching on a muffin with the other. He found Draco and some of the other first year Slytherins huddled around a heating vent, slightly shivering from the cold.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

Tracy snorted, "Not the temperature, that's for sure. It's freezing!"

"So why didn't you stay in your Common Room? I know it's well heated there."

Draco replied, "We wanted to get out and people watch. Unfortunately, most everyone has had the same idea you just came up with and are hiding out in their dorms."

Millie perked up, "Harry? That dragon heater of yours in the studio warms up fairly fast, right?" Harry nodded. "Could we go hang out there?"

Harry glanced at the others and shrugged, "Sure, I guess if that's what everyone wants to do?"

"Unless you have another option?" Daphne asked, her teeth quietly chattering.

"Well…you could always hang out in the Puff Common Room."

That surprised the Slytherins. They'd always heard that no one but those who were members of the House was allowed into their specific Common Room.

Harry waved at them to follow him and so he led the way downstairs and through the "secret" passageway to the toasty warm Badger Den. There were surprised faces on both the Badgers that were present as well as the five Slytherins who were greatly impressed with the décor and atmosphere of the room.

Harry motioned for them to take a seat and headed off to the kitchenette that had been installed to grab some hot drinks. When he returned, he found Hermione had joined the group and was practically grilling the green and silver clad kids about the recent homework assignment from Professor Snape.

"Hermione! Be nice. They're my guests so don't go interrogating them like prisoners."

Hermione just mock-growled at him and scrunched her nose up cutely before relenting and flopping back in her seat. Vincent laughed at the byplay.

"So that's the trick to getting her to ease off of the questions?" he asked between laughs.

Harry snorted lightly, "Nah, that only works with me cause of my status as 'The-Cute-Boy-With-The-Gorgeous-Green-Eyes."

Hermione let out an indignant squeal, "That's not true! I relented because you're right about them being guests. Argh! _Boys_…"

The others listening in around them just joined in on the laughter. By now, Hermione had figured out that no one in Hufflepuff would laugh at someone to be mean so she just huffed and got up, muttering something about finding her friends.

Greg Goyle piped up, "Do you think we could try out some of those games Draco was telling us about?"

Harry shrugged, "Sure, let me show you what we got."

* * *

The group decided on playing a game of Scrabble and after getting up to speed with the rules, quickly settled in. The topics of conversation ebbed and flowed as they talked about what life was like in the 'Snake Pit,' what life was like back home and what sort of interesting talents they had. Several other Puffs of various years had joined or left the conversations when Harry mentioned that he had a particular talent of speaking with snakes.

Everyone froze in silence. Tracy finally managed to speak, "You…you can?"

Harry nodded, a slight twinkle in his eye, "Yup. Why is that such a surprise?"

Daphne spotted the twinkle and knew something nefarious was in the works, "Harry? How do you know you can speak to snakes?"

Harry grinned at that question, "I'm glad you asked, Daphne." He turned to Vincent, "So, how has your day been, Vince?"

The group was silent before a groan could be heard in the back. They turned to see one of the seventh year prefects shaking his head and groaning. "You did _not_ just say that, Potter! Merlin, that was_ awful_!"

They all turned back to Harry who by now had a smug grin on his face that kept getting bigger. Third year Puff, Cedric Diggory scrunched his face up for a moment, "I know I'm going to regret this, but could someone explain this to me?"

The prefect pointed accusingly at Harry, "He just said he could speak to snakes then turned to Vincent there, right?" They all nodded, "Well, what's the nickname for Slytherin House members?"

The room erupted in a chorus of groans and the slapping of foreheads as understanding came over them.

"Nice one, Potter. I'll have to remember that." Daphne commented dryly.

* * *

After that on-the-spot bit of pranking, Harry asked the others what they had planned for the holidays. Most commented that they were going to be heading home to spend it with their families. Some mentioned that they would be taking part in some family Yuletide rituals.

Draco turned to Harry, "What about you? Are you going to be heading back to the muggles?"

"Dunno yet. I'm waiting on a response to my last letter to my aunt and uncle."

"Do you _want_ to go back there?"

Harry took a deep breath and let out a long sigh, "About half and half. I would like to see them again while at the same time, it was suggested by some of the older kids to spend at least one Christmas here in the castle as it's a sight to behold and experience."

Surprising everyone, Neville appeared and plopped down next to Harry.

"Hey, Nev! How'd you get in here?"

"Through the door like everyone else does," he snarked playfully. Harry just rolled his eyes and swatted his friend on the shoulder.

"Smart arse. I meant I didn't know you knew the password."

Neville chuckled as he negligently gestured back towards the door, "I don't but one of the other Puffs was kind enough to let me in as they were leaving. So what's everyone been talking about?"

Greg leant over and filled Neville in on the happenings before he showed up including the snake joke. Neville laughed uproariously and lightly punched Harry on the arm, "Shame I missed that one." Harry merely grinned back.

* * *

Harry finally got the letter he'd been waiting for just after lunch.

_Dear Harry;_

_Thanks for the letter, it's nice to know that you've been fitting in so well and been keeping yourself out of trouble. It's nice of you to be thinking of that caretaker, I'm still looking for possibilities for him. I have the list narrowed down from jobs like an animal shelter caretaker to grocery store clerk. It's difficult trying to find jobs for the elderly let alone someone who has lived most of their lives in the magical world. (Petunia)_

_As for your suggestion to stay there at the castle this year, I think it might be the best option. I just got word that Aunt Marge is going to be available after all and wanted us to visit rather than coming here. I know the two of you don't really get along so staying there is the best bet. (Vernon)_

_Forget what Dad said, come home! Save me from the annoying adults! We can hide out in that trunk of yours. (Dudley)_

_Harry, ignore Dudley. Have fun up there, we all miss you; I'm sending your presents later just as soon as I figure out how to address things to the castle. If you don't get anything from us, then at least you'll know it wasn't malicious._

_Stay safe and with love,_

_Petunia, Vernon and Dudley_

* * *

"That's nice of them." Hermione said as she suddenly appeared over his shoulder. Harry nearly leapt out of his skin and yelped.

"Sheesh, Hermione! Give a guy a heart attack." He breathed heavily trying to get his heartbeat back to normal.

She just giggled, "Sorry, I thought you heard me walking up. So you have to stay here?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, it's not really a problem. I need to write back and let my aunt know how to address things to the castle without needing to get into the Alley. I also need to send my own to them."

Hermione cocked her head in curiosity, "How _do_ you send things in the mail to here from the muggle world?"

"Cedric explained that there are Squibs and muggleborns who work in the post offices and know to look out for packages and letters addressed to Hogwarts then reroute them to the Diagon Alley Post Office. Apparently there's a special service that goes on between them."

She perked up at that, "That's wonderful! Now I can send stuff to my parents and they can do so back to me!" She gave him a quick hug and scampered off to her room, her bushy hair bouncing. Harry slowly regained his breath and headed off to his own room to write home.


	9. Chapter 8

_**Christmas holidays…**_

True to the older students' recommendations, Christmas at Hogwarts was a feast for the senses. Decorations were hung on nearly everything from enormous trees to the suits of armor dotted throughout the hallways. There were snowball fights to be held, hot chocolate to be drunk and festive feasts to be eaten in the Great Hall.

Harry had made sure ahead of time to coordinate with Hedwig and a couple of the other owls as well as the elves within the castle so he could get his friends' gifts to their respective homes in a timely manner. Hedwig had already berated him for even _suggesting_ that he was bogging her down with too much work. He promised that come Christmas Day itself, the two of them would have some quality bonding time.

* * *

When Christmas morning arrived, Harry awoke to find a veritable _mountain_ of gifts waiting at the foot of his bed. He quickly found the one from the Dursleys and ripped off the paper wrapping to find a photo album that contained the early life of one Lily Evans. His fingers traced the pictures of his mother and tears formed in his eyes as he read the humorous descriptions of what was happening within the images. The accompanying note said that the album was from all three Dursleys this year and thanked him in advance for his gift to them. _'I sure hope they like the animated decorative dishware and figurines. I also hope Dudley doesn't go and try to show off the ceramic dragons to his friends. Those things will try to bite anyone that tries to touch them.'_

From Hermione, she'd sent him a set of pottery crafting tools like picks, scrapers, and rolling pins with decorative embossed or engraved images on the sides, sponges, and brushes. Neville had sent him a box that when opened, revealed a plastic wrapped block of a gorgeous red clay that looked like it had inclusions of some kind of glittering stones within. Draco had sent him some age-appropriate wizarding toys for boys while Vincent Crabbe had given him a highly decorative shelving unit made out of wrought iron and finished with gold filigree around the edges. His other gifts included the usual candy or small handmade things that really touched his heart.

He'd received a note from Riptooth that the analysis of the audit from his family vaults was complete and a report was being compiled to be sent to him so Harry could reroute it to Director Bones. The items recovered were being examined for any illegal alterations; Riptooth did mention that the Invisibility Cloak being sent to him had caused some in the Tailor's Guild to break down in tears. (Harry wondered about that, he'd ask him about it later.) He finished out by thanking Harry for the gift he'd sent and that it was a surprise, as wizards never sent Goblins gifts. Harry smiled as he imagined Riptooth trying to figure out how to work the mechanical calculator he'd found.

* * *

In addition to sending Riptooth a present, Harry had also sent out gifts to his friends and family.

To Hermione, he'd sent her a never-ending personal journal with an enchanted pen that would change the color of ink based on her mood. He'd also sent her a mug that was charmed to change shape depending on her mood and who was around her at the time. For example, if she were in a happy mood and her company was good; the mug would look brightly and cheerfully painted and glazed with a dazzling array of colors. If she were in a foul mood and the company was bad or annoying, the mug would look like it was made from the skull of her enemies. _'I better wear my heavy sweater when we meet up again, I'll bet that she'll whap me on the arm repeatedly for that mug.'_

Neville was gifted a couple of muggle gardening books as well as a desktop greenhouse that didn't need electricity to operate. Harry'd written to a popular mail order seed company and requested a subscription to their catalog. In addition, he ordered their starter seed kit that would include a seedling tray, some pre-made soil inserts, and several packets of seeds for easy to grow vegetables and flowers.

Draco was a tough one because of the boy's wealth. Anything magical was assumed to be something he could've already acquired. It took a while but Harry finally found the right gift. It was a set of books that covered the history of the muggle aristocracy as well as the latest edition for muggle etiquette. At the last moment, Harry had also bought and sent Draco his very own copy of Monopoly.

For the Weasley twins, he'd sent away for an intermediate set of muggle pranks and jokes as well as a thick book on the history of pranking and pratfalls.

To Professor Sprout, he'd created several planters of varying sizes that were decorated with scenes of plant life in the Art Nouveau style and were charmed to let the gardener know that the plant within needed to be watered and fed.

Professor McGonagall had been sent a set of new containers for her yarn and knitting needles. Owing to Harry's snarky nature and simply because he could, he'd made it so the containers looked like silly faces with the yarn threads coming out of their noses. _'I wonder if I'm going to lose points for these things?' _He chuckled to himself.

Professor Snape was set to receive a set of ingredient jars that would change slowly change color as the contents approached their expiration date. Harry also gifted him with a _very_ large coffee mug painted in Slytherin colors of the Art Deco style. There was a line near the very bottom with an inscription that read, 'You may speak to me when the contents of this mug are below this line.'

* * *

He decided to spend the quiet Christmas afternoon in his trunk and do a bit of general maintenance and some light reading that he'd been putting off. He lay on his couch with one of his favorite fantasy books propped up on his stomach. A glass of orange juice was conveniently placed next to him on the coffee table. He quietly read and was just about to turn the page when he heard his name being called.

"Mr. Potter? Are you in here?" came the voice of Professor Sprout. Holding his place with a finger, he rolled off the couch and walked over to the ladder and looked up.

"Hey, Professor! Hi, down here. To your left. Your _other_ left, Professor! Hi!" She finally spotted him with his head poking up from the bottom of his trunk.

"Wow, a traveler's trunk, Mr. Potter?" He nodded happily and asked her what the problem was.

"Just doing a headcount. I couldn't find you at your studio nor did I see you in the Common Room. If you hadn't alerted me to your presence, I probably would've gone to check in the library."

"Well, here I am. Did you want to come down and see my set up here?"

Cocking her head, "If you're offering, then yes I would." Harry moved back and let Pomona clamber down. He gave her the Knut tour and grinned when she commented on how modern and comfortable it appeared to be.

"It was a lucky find, to be sure. I had just found out about my vault in Gringott's and needed to pull some money out. This was sitting up against a wall so I figured that I'd be able to use it for school. My uncle and I spent nearly all of August cleaning it out and refurbishing it. The prior decoration and furniture were 1970s horrendous." He shuddered theatrically at that last bit.

Pomona laughed lightly at his antics, "I received your Christmas present and I love it. I decided to place them in my private office for the time being. Such a beautiful style of design; what's it called?"

"Art Nouveau. It was popularized during the early part of this century around the 1920s."

"Stunning work, as usual Mr. Potter. Well, thank you for showing me around and just remember not to be too anti-social."

"Never a problem, professor."

* * *

Hedwig appeared through the magical owl chute about twenty minutes later and settled down on the arm of his favorite chair. She beamed happily as only an owl could and hooted softly at him.

"Happy Christmas to you too, my dear. Did you enjoy my gift to you?" She bobbed her head affirmatively. "Well, I have one more gift to give you. An afternoon of cuddling, grooming and pampering by me!" She fluffed up and bounced on her talons as he picked her up and headed to the bathroom.

"I'd thought that we'd start by giving you a nice long soak in the bath with scented soaps followed concurrently with a little bit of a wing massage…"

The look on Hedwig's face was priceless…

* * *

The Christmas Feast was a gastronomic delight. There were platters of turkey, chicken, meats and vegetables of all kinds. Then there were the desserts…

"My god, I think I'm going to explode if I eat one more bite," Harry grumbled to a fellow Puff who'd elected to stay at the castle this year.

"I know what you mean. My first year here I ended up in the hospital wing _because _I ate too much. Not something I recommend. Madam Pomfrey will give you a right scolding before giving you some relief. Even then I swear the potion must be diluted because it seems to take _forever_ for it to work."

Harry burped then chuckled, "She probably does it that way so you learn your lesson."

* * *

After dinner, Harry was wandering around the empty halls of the school while wearing the Invisibility Cloak. While it wasn't necessary to wear it while most of the school was away, it made him feel better knowing that his father had once worn it when he'd attended. As he explored the various abandoned rooms on the fourth floor, he found some interesting bits of junk piled up in one room though nothing really held his attention after he discovered an ornate golden mirror with strange writing on it. He pulled the hood off his head and concentrated on trying to read it before it dawned on him that it was written backwards. _'Idiot. Mirror writing…'_

He gazed into the mirror before he let out a gasp of shock at the sight of a man with messy black hair and wearing his face standing next to a woman with beautiful dark red hair and his eyes. Puzzled at this, he looked behind him but he was alone. He gazed once more at the ghostly image before it dawned on him whom it was he was looking at. _'Mum? Dad? Huh, just like the photo album that Aunt Petunia gave me. Strange that I'd be able to see them here. What was it that the inscription said? Something about my heart's desire?'_ He stood there and pondered what it meant by 'his heart's desire.'

* * *

"Hello, Mr. Potter." Harry jumped at the sound of the voice and his name being called. He whirled around and spotted the headmaster leaning up against a desk.

"Headmaster," he replied warily.

Whether or not he noticed the tone of Harry's voice, Albus continued his questioning. "I take it that you've figured out the delights of the Mirror of Erised?"

Harry cocked his head in thought as he glanced back at the mirror but didn't reply.

Albus peered at him over the top of his glasses before continuing, "I'll give you a hint. The happiest man would only see himself while a man who wished for the one thing missing from his life would see him with that one thing."

Harry slowly nodded in understanding, "So…it shows me what I want and only what I want."

"Yes and no. It shows only what your deepest desires but gives nothing in knowledge or truth."

Harry hummed in thought, "I can understand that. Well, nothing for it. Have a good night, headmaster." With that, he flipped the hood of his cloak back over his head and disappeared.

Albus stood there surprised at Harry's reaction to his explanation of the Mirror of Erised. _'His behavior should've been one of longing for more time with his parents. He's acting like seeing his parents' reflection is not a big deal. Then there was his forehead; I could've sworn there used to be a scar there from that Halloween night. Something's not right here…'_

* * *

When Harry returned to his dorm, he let out a determined growl as he pulled out a sheet of paper and began to write a letter. _'Director Bones needs to know about this. She'll know what to do next.'_

_Director Bones;_

_I've some disturbing news regarding Headmaster Dumbledore. It seems he has placed a mirror he referred to as the 'Mirror of Erised' and it's my belief that it was intentionally placed to get my attention. For what purpose, I don't know but I feel you should be made aware of it in case others within the school come across it. I don't know if it's a characteristic of the mirror but it felt like something was probing into my mind like the Sorting Hat did at the start of the school year then it shows you things. The more I stared into it, the longer I wanted to stay. Whatever it is, it's probably too dangerous to be in a school full of kids and the Weasley twins._

_On top of that, I feel the need to inform you of some rumors regarding another large creature on the closed off and forbidden third floor corridor. I have not witnessed it myself (and I have NO desire to see such a creature!) but there've been others who've gone down this corridor thinking it's part of some kind of obstacle course. They've also said that the creature that was originally there is now an enlarged version of some kind of cat. _

_I hope that whatever is going on up on the third floor will be resolved soon; everyone will be coming back in a few days and I'd hate to hear that someone got hurt._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry Potter_

He finished the letter and headed up to the Owlery where Hedwig spotted him and glided down to the window ledge.

"Urgent but not super critical message for Director Amelia Bones at the Ministry DMLE, Hedwig. Take your time on the way back, okay?"

She preened his hair and nuzzled his cheek as he tied the letter to her leg before taking flight.

* * *

_**Later in the day in the Headmaster's Office…**_

Albus was sitting in his chair and extracting memories into a pensieve he'd received many years ago from an acquaintance. He frowned as he thought about the invisibility cloak he'd seen young Harry wearing when they encountered each other in that abandoned classroom with the Mirror of Erised. _'I know that I didn't give it back to him. For the life of me, I can't even remember when it was taken from me. I looked all over the place for it but it had vanished somewhere around the middle of August! In addition, my sources tell me that the other items and properties I'd appropriated from the Potter vaults were retrieved. Such a shame, they weren't doing the boy any good and it's for the Greater Good that they were safely in my possession. If it were anyone other than the Goblins then I'd have done something about it but I dare not go against them. Then there were the boy's answers about what he saw within the mirror. It's disturbing but I'm hoping that a trip down memory lane will jog some sense into them.'_

When he returned from his sojourn into his memories, he leant back and gently stroked his beard in contemplation of what he'd seen.

'_I was right that Harry's scar is missing. I have no idea when or how it was done but it's definitely missing. I wonder what that'll do to the prophecy? So far, Tom hasn't made his move to the Stone and Harry shows zero interest in investigating the third floor. If anything, he almost seems to fight against the very idea of going anywhere the least bit interesting or adventurous.'_

_Damn that Bones' woman for making me get rid of the Cerberus. I was lucky that Hagrid managed to find that Matagot. I hope that with that creature and the other addition in the room, it will slow Tom down long enough so I can try to redeem him from the Darkness.'_

There was a soft pinging sound, which caused him to look up at the charmed mirror that alerted him to whoever it was that interacted with the stone gargoyle guardian and paled drastically. _'Well, speak of the devil, look who it is.'_

Director Amelia Bones along with a veritable battalion of Aurors, Unspeakables and other ministry workers was at the door and she didn't look happy…

* * *

_**Eight hours later…**_

Albus eased himself into his bathtub in hopes of scrubbing and soaking away the aches and pain that had accumulated after the little adventure he'd been forced into by Amelia Bones and her entourage. He had the faintest hope that when she had arrived all angry, it would've been something simple like her niece had fallen down a set of stairs and was lightly hurt. But that was in vain, the reality was someone had sent an anonymous letter to her about the traps that had been set up on the third floor corridor. When he tried to bluster his way out of it, stating that the beast had been removed, Bones had ordered him to take everyone there to prove its validity.

In deference to his earlier half-truth of admission, the dog was gone but in its place was a matagot, a demon guardian cat that he'd gotten on loan from the Ministry of Magic, Beast Control Division. The Division workers that were there were _not_ the ones he'd contacted and therefore were _not_ happy that some of their security creatures were being used in a school full of children! While the cats were being removed, the other security feature in the room was discovered, quite painfully too. One of the Unspeakables had headed directly for the trapdoor in the center of the room only to smack its face into an invisible wall. After a spat of grumbling and a wave of their wand to fix their face, the Unspeakable ran a diagnostic to ascertain what it was that they'd run into.

The invisible maze was ingenious and rather creative though anyone with a lick of sense would've just conjured a cloud of sticky opaque particles to coat the walls thereby rendering the maze easy to figure out. Hardly a challenge when seen in that light…

"An O for effort, Albus but a D for execution." The Unspeakable remarked amusedly.

* * *

One by one, the assembled team made their way through the so-called 'traps.' A nest of Devil's Snare, a rickety broom and a room full of charmed flying keys to unlock a door which then led into a life-sized version of wizarding chess. A quick and powerful _finite incantatum_ took care of the keys and chess room as Amelia glared at Albus and the other staff that had accompanied them.

"We _will _be having a long discussion about what was used here!" she growled menacingly. Minerva, Pomona and Filius all looked properly chastised. Severus held his tongue and his head up high, as his trap hadn't been reached yet.

After the chess room, came another mountain troll similar to the one that had gotten into the castle back in Halloween. Unlike the other one though, this one didn't seem as enthusiastic to attack them. In fact, it seemed downright lethargic.

One Beast Control officer summed it up after a brief examination, "The poor creature is practically starving! No fresh air, no food, barely any water; we need to get it out of here immediately." Amelia gave her permission to create a Portkey to send the poor creature back to the mountains.

* * *

Severus' challenge was up next and even he didn't escape the on-the-spot tongue-lashing the other staff had received. He nodded his head in embarrassment and a bit of shame that if by some horror a child had gotten this far, they'd have been poisoned by the contents of the bottles after they'd gotten frustrated by the puzzle and just sampled everything in hopes of getting past it.

The final room contained an ornate mirror; the same mirror that Harry had described to her in his letter. The lead of the Unspeakable team approached it and confirmed that it was indeed the Mirror of Erised. Amelia whirled on Albus and demanded to know what it was that he'd hoped would've happened.

Albus put on his best grandfatherly mien and stated that he'd hoped that the thief would've been so entranced with what was seen that it would've given him enough time to apprehend the culprit.

Amelia took a slow deep breath and shook her head, trying to calm her mounting frustration and anger at the old fool. "Just _what_ was the prize at the end of this idiotic obstacle course? There had to have been _something_ used as bait to lure said thief into this corridor!"

Minerva cleared her throat, "Amelia, we were told that Nicholas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone was going to be used as the bait. According to Albus here, it was his idea to place it within the mirror and only those who wished to find the stone but not use it would be able to retrieve it."

Amelia stared at Albus for a long moment; not saying anything but what was promised was a long and painful 'discussion' as evident by the fire in her eyes. She swiftly turned and faced the mirror and thought long and hard about what she wanted. A minute, two minutes yet nothing appeared. She slowly faced Dumbledore again and tilted her head in unamused expectation.

Albus was shocked! No one should've been able to get in here and remove the stone so quickly and without his knowledge. He stepped up to the mirror and tried to remove it from the enchantments but also to no avail. The look of panic grew on his face as he frantically tried to recall it.

"B-but…_it's here! I know it's here! I placed it here myself!_" he bellowed in fright and a bit of anger.

* * *

Throughout all of the proceedings, there were two people who'd hung back and observed what was going on, one had delight dancing in his eyes. Quirrel was secretly amused by what was going on with the old coot. _'Foiled by his own grand plans.'_ He thought whilst chuckling to himself. His companion was also mildly amused though also angered that someone else had retrieved the stone before they could. As Quirrel headed back to his apartment, his companion, the wraith of Lord Voldemort had started ranting at his follower's stupidity and inability to follow simple commands to get the stone at all costs. Quirrel tried to calm his Master, the fear evident in his voice and in his thoughts. His body had been slowly failing since the possession and soon it would be too late to save himself.

The other person that'd hung back to watch the so-called 'Leader of the Light' get dragged over the proverbial coals also chuckled to himself. He hummed a light and airy French ditty from back in the old days and proceeded to exit the castle unnoticed. The stone was safely tucked away in his pocket as he apparated away from the grounds. When he arrived at his destination, he was greeted by his wife of many, many years.

"Everything go as planned, my dear?"

The man nodded, "Yes, my brilliant wife. You were right, Albus never suspected that the stone we gave him was a fake nor my presence as I retrieved it from the mirror."

Smiling, she led her husband back inside for a home cooked dinner of French Onion soup and a roast beef.


	10. Chapter 9

[**A/N: Migraines are no fun. Sorry for the delay in getting this out.]**

_**Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Interview Room 1…**_

Minerva sat in the chair she'd be directed to and wondered if this…terror… is what her students felt when they were sent to her for discipline. _'If I get out of this with my job intact, I vow to make sure that I become more approachable.'_

She along with the rest of the senior staff of Hogwarts had been pulled in for a 'discussion' by Amelia Bones in regards to their involvement with the events and obstacle course up on the forbidden third floor of the school. Her own contribution, the life-sized wizarding chessboard, was going to be…discussed.

The door opened to allow Amelia and another Auror to enter. The look on both of their faces revealed nothing. The Auror set up another smaller table then took out a Dicta-quill in preparation to take notes. Amelia set up her notes on the table facing Minerva and just sat there observing the reactions of the older witch.

Glancing over to the Auror who gave a return nod, Amelia began to speak, "The date is Friday December 27, 1991. My name is Director Amelia Bones of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. In the room with me today is Senior Auror Constance Heglemann who is operating the Dicta-quill and Professor Minerva McGonagall. Professor McGonagall is a material witness and suspect in the recent events at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

After getting the nod from the Senior Auror that the quill was working properly, Amelia continued, "Professor McGonagall, please tell us in your own words, of the events that led up to the DMLE's involvement; specifically in regards to the rumor that the castle was playing host to Nicholas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone."

Gathering up her Gryffindor courage, Minerva leaned forward and began to explain, "Well, it started back in August of last year. Albus had mentioned during a private meeting that You-Know-Who had heard that Flamel's Stone was going to be on display here in England and would be making a move for it. Albus had said that he contacted his old friend about moving it to a more secure location."

"Safer than Gringott's?" Amelia inquired.

"Yes, it was felt by Albus that the Stone would be too much of a target to be held in a 'mere bank vault.'"

Amelia made a couple of notes before turning back, "Why did you not refuse to assist?"

Minerva's face looked like she was grumbling to herself, "I tried. I complained on a regular basis but every time the subject would come up, I'd get distracted by another problem within the school and nothing would ever change."

'_Sounds like a Compulsion Charm, I should have the staff checked out by a Healer to be sure.'_ Amelia quietly mused as Minerva continued her explanation for the school to house the Stone.

"So why did you use a transfigured chessboard as opposed to something else? You are a Mistress of Transfiguration, surely you could've come up with something more rigorous?"

Minerva harrumphed at that, "I _had_ wanted to put in something more strenuous. _Albus_ overrode me. He said that my original plan of transfiguring the floor and walls to change shape based on the intruder's intent was too violent and needed to be toned down. It was he who suggested that I go with a chess game. Said something that he wished to test the intruder's thought processes or some sort of malarkey like that."

When they were done, Amelia warned Minerva once again to not share what they'd discussed here today until the matter was closed. By that it was implied that until the trial for Dumbledore (or even perhaps all of them), Minerva was on probation.

* * *

When Amelia interviewed Pomona, she discovered that the Devil's Snare wasn't the professor's idea nor did the woman even know about the trap. She said that Albus had requested her help with securing a room but when pressed as to why, Albus gave his usual 'Greater Good' nonsense. She then refused to assist until a proper explanation was given.

"How difficult would've it been to steal a sampling of the Snare from your greenhouses?" Amelia asked.

Pomona shrugged, "Not too difficult if you know what you're doing. If you're asking if I thought Albus stole a sampling, then the answer would be 'not likely.' Getting anywhere near the plants that I have in my greenhouses is tricky as it is but with that mass of hair he's got? Nope, I just don't see it happening."

Amelia merely nodded and wrote down another note.

* * *

Filius was in the same category as Pomona. He too, had refused to help until a more logical reason was given for his help in securing the Stone. He had told the headmaster point blank that insulting the quality of security of Gringott's was inflammatory at best and he'd best hope they never heard about it.

"So you would've done something different than charmed flying keys and a broom?"

Filius growled at the implication, "You're damned right I would've! I see why people would've thought I'd be involved with that…trap. _Charmed_ keys? Laughable! I would've done something that appealed to my Ravenclaw senses. A true logic trap perhaps or even a series of riddles that one would've had to solve in order to progress. Flying keys indeed!"

* * *

Amelia took a break before questioning the final two professors involved, Severus Snape and Quirnius Quirrel. She sat at her desk and stretched her neck muscles before reaching for the ceiling with her arms, working out the kinks in her shoulders and back. She growled at the thought that the professors would've been so idiotic to attempt to hide the Stone within the castle when the children were present!

There was a knock on the door and before she could even give leave for the person to enter, Director Croaker strode in. His hood was already down and a look of bemusement danced on his face.

Leaning back in her chair, Amelia spread her arms in greeting, "So what brings the Director of the Department of Mysteries to my humble office?" Croaker snorted.

"Cute. I'm just here to give you the report regarding the Mirror of Erised and the nature of the item that was supposedly placed within."

Amelia quirked an eyebrow up, "You couldn't have had a flunky bring it?"

A growing smirk grew on the man's face, "Ahh, but I wanted to see the look on your face when you read the report." He handed it over and waited.

It only took a few moments but he was able to tell when she reached the relevant section. Amelia's eyes bugged out and her mouth dropped open before her head snapped up to face him.

"IT WAS A FAKE? THE STONE WAS A FAKE? HOW?"

Croaker settled back in his chair with a smug smile and crossed his legs, "We received word that Albus had been sniffing around trying to get access to the Stone for months now. I contacted Flamel himself and inquired about the Stone's safety and he assured me that it was just fine where it was and that the one that everyone _assumed_ was in the Goblin's vault was merely a hunk of rock that was charmed to give off a similar magical signature."

Amelia's mouth was still hanging open slack-jawed. Croaker took pity on her, "Come now, Amelia. Do you really think that a man who has lived for over six hundred years _wouldn't _have better security than a simple vault or to just hand it off to another who is the age equivalent of a child?" He mutely shook his head in bemused derision.

Amelia finally got her brain back into gear and snapped her mouth shut before letting out a low growl, "I'm going to kill that old goat buggerer! All that effort to keep a fake safe and in a school full of children, including my niece!"

Croaker chuckled, "Nicholas was laughing about the so-called 'traps' when I spoke with him last. He recalled that Albus was always blinded to his own 'brilliance' and always refused to accept that there might be others with more knowledge than he. Nick always said that he'd always said that he'd taught Albus everything Albus knew."

Amelia rolled her eyes, "But that doesn't mean that Albus knew everything that _Flamel_ knew."

* * *

Deciding to interview Snape first, Amelia strode into the room and laid down the same sort of questions she'd been asking the others. To the man's credit, he never showed any signs of stress even under the threat of imprisonment. He replied honestly and clearly to all of her questions regarding the trap and that the 'poisons' mentioned in the riddle were merely draughts designed to give severe stomach cramps, nothing more.

"I'd argued with Albus regarding the security flames by saying that anyone with an ounce of skill would've just frozen them and walked through but he felt that the situation wasn't dramatic enough." He sneered at the memory.

Amelia leant back in her chair as she contemplated her witness. Sitting upright again she asked him, "If you were given another chance to do that trap right; what would've you done differently?"

Severus quirked an eyebrow in thought and pursed his lips, "I believe I would've gone for a more subtle approach. I'd keep the potion riddle as a distraction but infuse the air with an aerosolized version of the Draught of Living Death."

Amelia was impressed, "So while the intruder was figuring out the puzzle, he or she would've been incapacitated before they realized what was happening. Clever."

* * *

Her final interviewee was Professor Quirrel and there was something _off_ about the man. His constant twitching and nervousness coupled with that awful stench coming from the turban was tripping off her danger senses. She called for Croaker for his assessment before heading in. When Croaker arrived, he took one look at the man and immediately hit him with a powerful stunner. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a medallion and portkeyed the professor off to who knew where.

Amelia whirled on the Unspeakable, "Croaker? What the Hell was _that_ about?"

Croaker gave her the most serious look he'd ever displayed, "That man was in the final stages of a spectral possession. He will be examined and though it's not likely to be possible, removed of said possession. I doubt he'd survive one way or the other."

She was puzzled and the look showed on her face so he explained further, "The twitching, the stench and the overall demeanor of the man suggested spectral possession. Better to be safe than sorry. If you'll excuse me?" He turned and vanished.

With that, Amelia just huffed in shock and headed back to her office. She had to prepare for her interview with Dumbledore.

* * *

_**Later that evening in Amelia's office…**_

She was tired. Tired to her proverbial bones. Dumbledore's interview (or interrogation) lasted for several hours and she still felt like she'd not gotten any decent answers from the old goat. Every angle she'd tried, he'd counter with hiding behind the Secrecy of the Realm mandate or prevaricate until the thread was lost. Amelia was beginning to understand just how the old fart managed to acquire all of those titles he held. He just kept redirecting until his opponent gave up in frustration.

She flopped down on the couch in her office and closed her eyes with a sigh. She'd warned him with the same thing she'd told the rest of his staff about being on probation but she knew that he'd ignore it if it suited his purpose. _'What I wouldn't give to pour enough Veritiserum down his throat until it leaked out his ears!'_

* * *

_**In the Headmaster's office…**_

Albus wanted to hold a staff meeting to cover what had gone on during their 'interview' but he knew that the others wouldn't show up because of the admonition from Director Bones. He shook his head at her self-importance and delusions that he, Albus Dumbledore, would've done anything to harm the students within his castle! _'I would love to have found out who it was that informed her of the traps set up on the third floor. Then I'd obliviate the hell out of them! All that work and effort wasted! Then to not have the Potter brat to not fall for his compulsions to go investigate? He needs to be tested to prove my theories about that night.'_

* * *

When the other students returned to the castle at the start of the new term, Harry was kept busy with his class work as well as getting caught up with what everyone had done during their vacation. He laughed uproariously at Hermione's accounting of the disaster that had occurred at her parents' annual dental Christmas party when one of their colleagues got drunk and tried to 'get frisky' with the hired Santa before puking in the punchbowl.

Neville told of how his relatives were still trying to console his grandmother over the supposed belief that he would never be the wizard his father was and that maybe he ought to be sent out to make his way in the muggle world. Both Harry and Hermione were rightly incensed at that before tapering off when they both spotted the sly smirk growing on Neville's face.

"What my doddering, out-of-touch relatives didn't know was that I had taken it upon myself to go down to Ollivander's and get fitted for my own wand. Not even my grandmother knew about my adventure until it was all over."

"I'm impressed, Neville. Was this newfound attitude because you're a Gryffindor?" Harry asked in wide-eyed wonder.

Neville shrugged, "Sort of. Mostly it was because of my friendship with you two. You both inspired me to not cower under the shadow of my father's legacy and to stand up for myself, especially you, Harry."

"Me? What did I do?"

"Everyone expected you to follow in your parents' footsteps and go into Gryffindor as well. Instead, you forged your own path and went into Hufflepuff."

Harry looked a bit perplexed, "Huh, I didn't know it was all that inspiring."

"Well whatever it was, it helped guide me when I made the decision to go to Diagon Alley and get my own wand. It's 13 inch long cherry wood wand with a unicorn tail hair and feels _wonderful!_" Neville replied.

* * *

In an effort to change the subject, Harry told them about his discovery of the mirror in one of the abandoned rooms.

"Wow, do you mind telling us what you saw?" Hermione queried.

"Saw my parents. Now I understand why Professor Snape was so hostile to me in the beginning. I look like a near identical copy of my father but with my mother's eyes."

"Is it still there?"

Shrugging and shaking his head, "Dunno. I didn't have the desire to seek it out now that I know that Dumbledore is keeping track of who goes near it."

"Why is that a problem?" Hermione asked.

Harry described the Invisibility Cloak that had been retrieved by the Goblins from wherever Dumbledore had hidden it after stealing it from the Potter Family vaults. Hermione was shocked and Neville even started growling a bit.

"Right? The supposed 'Leader of the Light' stealing from 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'? Something was fishy with the whole thing so I had my account manager send the cloak to their Tailor's Guild for inspection and they found enchantments that had Dumbledore's magical signature on them."

"It also begs the question as to why this powerful and enchanted mirror was even _in_ that room in the first place. Something of that nature should've been under lock and key not in a classroom where anyone could've stumbled over it like you did." Neville commented with a suspicious look on his face.

Harry then mentioned he'd written a letter to Director Amelia Bones over at the DMLE outlining some of the unusual instances that had happened the prior semester as well as what it felt like when he gazed into the mirror.

"I heard later from a couple of the portraits that she showed up later that day with an army of ministry workers and Aurors. Then I heard they had dragged the headmaster from his office and headed towards the third floor corridor."

"Really?" Hermione squeaked in shock.

Harry kind of smirked, "Yup, I heard she was right furious about whatever it was that had replaced that three-headed dog from earlier."

Hermione's face darkened as her voice grew to a shriek, "You mean to tell me that this school was housing a _Cerberus _here! With the other children nearby?!"

Harry pulled back a bit and nodded while Neville looked confused at Hermione's reaction.

"I don't get it. Why is that a problem that there's a Cerberus? What _is_ a Cerberus anyhow?"

Hermione had jumped up and launched into one of her rants so it fell to Harry to explain what the mythology and reality behind the three-headed hellhound was all about. Neville's eyes grew wide as he began to understand the complications if the beast had broken out and was rampaging through the halls.

"Whoa…" he breathed out, "It would've been worse than that troll that somehow got into the castle back on Halloween!" Harry tipped his hand at him.

"Then I heard a creature known as a 'matagot' was put in the dog's place and from what little I read, it's even _worse_ of a choice than the dog."

"Why?"

"Because it can multiply every time it gets injured or attacked. They're incredibly dangerous to be around and exemplify the attributes of a cat when angered." Hermione paused in her rant to explain, "They're listed in our Fantastic Beasts textbook."

Harry snorted, "Well, that makes me really glad I didn't fall to the urge to go investigate that hallway when I got trapped on the landing a month ago. I think I'd rather it have been a snake."

"Why?" Neville was curious.

"Because as a snake, it can communicate in Parseltongue, which I'm led to believe is a rare trait to inherit. I have no idea if there's anyone here in the castle that can speak it though. At least with the dog, you could play a bit of music and it would go to sleep." Hermione explained as she'd obviously finished her personal rant against idiotic old people and rejoined their conversation.

"I can speak to snakes," Harry supplied. Both Hermione and Neville groaned, "We know that joke, Harry."

Harry just chuckled and gave his trademarked lop-sided grin, "No, I'm serious. I didn't want anyone to know about it and spread it around but I trust you two not to gossip about it. I really _can_ speak to snakes! I found out back when I turned seven years old. It's handy when I'm working in the garden and come across a nest. We'll have a nice chat every now and then before I recommend they move to a space under my pottery shed that's more secure and defendable than what they currently have."

Hermione was flabbergasted and a bit intrigued, "That's really impressive, Harry but you're right that the knowledge of you being able to speak it shouldn't be spread around." She paused in thought before starting up again, "Do you think I could learn it? I've always wanted to be able to speak another language."

Harry shrugged, "Dunno, I guess we could try later. How about you, Neville? Interested in trying something new?"

Neville tilted his head in thought before pursing his lips and agreeing, "Might be fun. I know there is the occasional snake that manages to get into the greenhouses at home. Might be a good idea to at least know what it's saying."

* * *

Harry caught up with Draco and the others later on the weekend and asked them how they enjoyed their holidays. Draco was practically bouncing in excitement in his efforts to tell Harry about his parents' reactions to the Monopoly game.

"You should've been there, Harry! I thought my father was going to have a coronary at first because of the fact I'd received a muggle item for a present and was debating to find out who sent it to me so he could hex them for sending such 'trash' into his home."

Harry merely shook his head and lifted and eyebrow in exasperation.

Draco continued, "I managed to get him to calm down and at the very least examine the gift before unleashing his wrath. Short story is, he's now obsessed with the game and is trying to figure out how to charm the pieces so that they move like in wizard's chess. My mother was impressed that muggles could've come up with…what did she call it? _'A ruthlessly fun distraction.'_

* * *

Tracy asked Harry how his holidays were and he gave them a description of what the feast was like as well as describing the gifts he'd received.

"I'll show them to you the next time we get together. I got some fun things from Draco, Hermione, Neville and a few others as well as the teachers."

"Neat. What else happened up here?"

"Well, let's see. I got a ton of great presents, nearly ate myself sick, found a really cool mirror in an abandoned classroom and witnessed Director Bones arrive with an army of people."

"_WHAT?"_ Daphne near shrieked. Tracy winced since the other girl was practically yelling it in her ear. She swatted her friend on the shoulder.

Daphne looked chagrinned and quickly apologized, "Seriously, what happened that brought the DMLE to the school?"

Harry glanced around at the surprised and intensively curious faces around him, "Boy, do I have a story to tell you. Here's what happened…"

* * *

The Hogwarts Rumor Mill being what it was soon had the gossipmongers whispering that the senior staff had been pulled from the school and interrogated for reasons unknown. In addition, several large teams from the Ministry were seen entering the third floor corridor as well as a couple of grey-cloaked Unspeakables. When the school got underway again, it was noted that Professor Quirrel was no longer in attendance…

* * *

It had been mutually decided at the start of a weeklong blizzard that hit the area, the denizens of Artist's Row should hold a meeting to discuss various topics like what was new, what was needed, plans for the future and anything in between. The Great Hall was clamoring with the chatter of excited students and staff as they floated amongst one another.

Harry was busy discussing some details for a deal in the works for some repairs and additions he'd wanted to include to his studio. In return for what he needed or wanted, he agreed to make a set of paintbrush and pencil holders stylized to look like hands or claws, or in one case, to look like a skull with openings in the top to stick the writing tools. Other deals that were made, as in the case for Vincent for example, he needed some more crucibles made. So in exchange, Harry was getting an Art Deco inspired window frame that featured tiny translucent stones that would catch the light.

Pomona was overseeing the meeting and eventually got the attendees to settle down.

"Thank you everyone for attending the first meeting for the Artist's Council. I hope that it will become an example of what can be accomplished for future generations to come!" This led to loud cheering and applause. "First thing on the agenda for today is to hear from the candidates for the various positions that need to be filled. One by one and by artist category, we will listen to the candidate's qualifications and preferred choice for position. Are there any questions?"

A few hands went up to ask which positions were being applied for. They were directed to the flyer that had been posted on the bulletin board that was located at the entrance to the Great Hall. Other questions included things like, 'if a person does manage to get said position, what are the options available if they suddenly decide that they don't want it anymore?'

Round and round they went as the candidates vied for the positions of Council Chief, Secretary, Finance, et cetera before they finally broke for the evening. Several wanted Harry to take up the position of President but he turned it down.

"I thank you for the nomination but I feel that at this time, my leadership skills need some more polishing before I even think of attempting it. I'm fine with giving ideas and suggestions but I'm not ready for the responsibility." He got a round of applause and a nod in approval from Professor Sprout. She complimented him on knowing his limits.

* * *

Harry met up with Hermione and Neville later the next morning at breakfast to discuss what had gone on the prior evening.

"It went pretty well, in my opinion. I got the approvals and deals made for the projects to my shop done with. They should be completed hopefully by spring at the latest. I, in turn, have a _ton_ of things I need to accomplish in order to satisfy everyone. I'm still in shock with how far things have gone as compared to the first of September."

"Why's that, Harry?" Neville asked as he dipped his toast into his scrambled eggs and took a bite.

"Well, in the beginning I was hoping for just a simple hut to house my wheel and kiln. I never expected to find a school so starved for a creative outlet that I'd inspire a revolution of sorts to bring art back to the school." Harry replied before taking a sip of his tea. He then gestured around with his cup, "I mean, look around you. Before the Row got started, there were plenty of students here that merely went from class to class, doing homework and despite the happy looks on their faces; you could tell that something was missing."

The other two just nodded in agreement.

* * *

Hermione was in a quandary, not something she was used to. She wanted to contribute to the artist revolution that was underway within the school but for the life of her, she couldn't decide on what. So, she decided to enlist Harry's help in coming up with an idea. She hunted him down and found him relaxing on his couch in his trunk.

"Harry, I need help!"

Harry glanced up from the book he was reading and saw the exasperation on her face, "It's not a girly issue is it? I know nothing about that sort of thing."

She growled in response, "It's not _that_. I would never come to you for help with _that_. No, my problem is that I want to contribute to the artist revolution going on here but I'm at a loss for what! Help me, Harry! You're my only hope!"

Harry threw back his head and started laughing! "That _has_ to be the lamest usage of Star Wars I'd ever been part of!"

Hermione tilted her head in thought as she reviewed what she'd said to get that reaction. Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open in shock before she stammered, "R-right, that was _completely_ unintentional. I can't believe I said that." She dropped in an empty chair and covered her face with her hands.

"Hermione? You're not going to cry because of that, are you?" Harry asked nervously. Crying girls was not something he had an easy way of dealing with.

She picked her head up and it was clear that she wasn't crying but it was a close thing, "No, just embarrassed at myself for using such a cheesy line."

Harry chewed on his cheek for a moment, "Still, you might have something there."

Hermione glanced at him with a puzzled expression.

He rose to his feet and paced back and forth before stopping and facing her, "Movies!" He threw his arms out wide, "That's what you can contribute! You can bring the film and theater arts to the school. Well, maybe not the theater arts as we already have that but if you can figure out how to play movies in Hogwarts, that'd be something for the next edition of Hogwarts, A History."

"But Harry, muggle technology doesn't work within Hogwarts. Too much magic in the air or something."

He tilted his head and nodded in acceptance but gestured, "True, but that should be enough of a project to tempt that brilliant mind of yours to find a solution."

Hermione rose to her feet and gave Harry a strong hug and a kiss on his cheek, "Thanks, Harry." She left before anything else could be said.

Harry was stunned at what she'd done. He slowly reached up and gingerly touched his cheek where she'd kissed him.


	11. Chapter 10

**[A/N: Real life and research takes time away from any actual writing. Sorry for the delay.]**

* * *

_4 January 1992_

_Dear Mum and Daddy,_

_Things have been so wonderful here at Hogwarts. I'll say it again that I'm truly grateful to have been sorted into a warm and loving House. As you may remember, I had wavered on whether or not Gryffindor or Ravenclaw would've best suited me. Boy, how wrong I was! Ever since I met Harry Potter, my life has been one great adventure. Daddy, I don't mean adventure as in wandering down deserted corridors in search of some mystical object or battling dangerous creatures._

_No, my adventures lie in discovering that I'm meant to be part of a whole. A group mentality that offers peace and solitude while at the same time a chance to be part of something larger. One thing that has resulted in my friendship with Harry Potter has been a development of my love for art in all its forms. _

_There is a remarkable artistic revolution occurring here at school and I want to be part of it. Even though I can't draw or paint and definitely can't sing; there is one thing I can contribute to the revolution. The Art of the Silver Screen through film and movies. Daddy, I was wondering if I could borrow one of your old projectors that don't require electronics to work and some of your early films? I was thinking of starting simple, silent films like Laurel and Hardy, Keystone Kops, Buster Keaton and the others of that generation then build up to color movies with sound like Wizard of Oz._

_I've spoken with my Head of House and she's said that there is a way for you to visit the school if you so desired to oversee the installation of the projector._

_Please say yes,_

_Hermione_

* * *

Hermione found Harry and explained what her solution to the technical problems of bringing a projector into the school and what Professor Sprout had offered.

"I was wondering if I could borrow Hedwig to send off my letter?" She asked him Friday morning at breakfast. A flutter of wings and a hoot announced the arrival of said owl with the morning mail. Harry looked pleased at the question and turned to Hedwig.

"Feel like making a special trip, my dear? Hermione here would like to send a message to her parents."

Hedwig gave him an imperious hoot, puffed up her feathers and held out her leg.

With a broad gesture Harry quipped, "I think there's your answer, Hermione."

* * *

Two days later, Hogwarts received a most important visitor. For the first time in several hundred years, a Muggle had stepped foot within the castle grounds. Daniel Granger looked around him in awe and wonderment. His gaze wandered over the towers and battlements, over the stained glass windows and the flags fluttering in the breeze. He witnessed a group of young wizards flying overhead on brooms. He could hear the sounds of hundreds of students going about their daily business and could also hear the sounds of what could only be a metalsmithing shop.

After getting a visit from Professor Sprout and loading up the projector and requisite films; Dan had put on a special necklace, took hold of a hula hoop and with a blinding maelstrom of light and who knew what else; was transported to the Scottish Highlands.

Just then he heard the most wonderful sound of all. "DAAADDDYYY!"

* * *

Hermione arrived in a tumultuous fashion and slammed into her father like a tsunami of laughter and fast-paced Hermione-babble. He was well used to this so he just waited until she ran out of steam. He glanced over at Professor Sprout who chuckled lightly at the heartwarming scene.

Finally, Dan held a finger over her mouth and got her to quiet down, "It's good to see you too, pumpkin. Why don't we go in and I can see the school for myself, eh?"

Hermione spotted the crate sitting on a trolley behind her father and squealed in joy, "You brought it! Oh, thank you so much!" Dan just smiled knowingly and nodded before gesturing for her to lead them inside.

* * *

Pomona led them into the Great Hall where once again, Dan Granger was speechless. The immense grandeur of the room spoke of centuries of tradition and culture and seemed frozen in time. The ceiling seemed to reach for the heavens; it blew his mind as to what magic was capable of. '_Certainly more than a visiting professor who turned herself into a cat and made a teacup dance on the table.'_

"Do you require anything else, Dr. Granger?" Pomona inquired.

Dan opened up a couple of crates and examined them for damage before looking up, "Nope. I think I got it covered. Thank you, Professor Sprout." He held out his hand, which she took and shook in pleasure.

* * *

Harry arrived in the Great Hall after hearing a commotion outside his shop about a muggle in the Great Hall. Knowing this probably had something to do with Hermione, he packed up what he was working on, washed his hands and proceeded to walk up there. Upon entering, he found Hermione in a near state of bouncy panic. She was flitting from one point to another at blazing 'Hermione speed.' _'Haven't seen her get like this since our last Defense test.'_

On the other side of the table where Hermione was, Dan and Professor Flitwick were busy trying to figure out how to convert magical energy into something the motor would accept.

He walked up to the bench and waved at his best friend, "Hey, Hermione. You seem excited about something." He drawled with a smirk on his face. Hermione acted maturely and stuck her tongue out at him.

Dan looked up at the sound of Harry speaking with Hermione, "Pumpkin, why don't you go stay with your friends? It's going to be a while Professor Flitwick and I figure out the conversions."

Harry took her hand and led her away from the activity and sat her down on a bench. "Hermione?" She didn't respond, "Hermione! You got a Astronomy test in fifteen minutes!"

Hermione got a look on her face that suggested she was not amused, turned to glare at Harry and blew a raspberry. He could only chuckle at the action.

"Well, I had to see if you were alright and you weren't responding to your name."

"Harry, I'm just excited. My daddy is here at school with me."

"Yeah, and you were disturbing him and the professor to figure out a solution to a problem that _you_ created." He said slowly with a cheeky glint in his eyes.

She let out an exasperated sigh, " I know that, Harry. I-I've missed him so much and now he's here. I'll be able to show him the school and where I'll be for nearly nine months out of the year." She glanced down at her hands, "He originally didn't want me to come here. He said that a boarding school wasn't something that neither one of us was ready for. I want to be able to show him that he was wrong and that I'm thriving here."

Harry put his arm around her shoulders and let her lean into him, "It'll be fine, Hermione."

* * *

It took a while but Dan and Filius finally figured out a way to create a magical version of a power inverter. The look of intrigue on the Head of Ravenclaw's face as Dan instructed him as to the properties and basics of electro-mechanical operation was plain to see as was several nearby students. _'There's going to be some NEWT level projects in this for the foreseeable future.' _ Harry mused.

Dan instructed Filius on how to properly load and run the opto-mechanical projector and at what time would be best to cast the charm to get the sound to work. After a bit of experimentation, Professor Flitwick came up with the charm of _'Sonum deferunt.'_ They tested the projector briefly and to all appearances, it worked just fine.

"So, as to the types of movies I brought. I have a number of family friendly films ranging from slapstick comedy to action/adventure types," Dan commented as he rummaged around in the smaller box containing the reels, "I even brought a few bags of popcorn…though looking around, maybe you ought to see if your kitchen staff could come up with something to snack on instead."

* * *

Dan was invited to stay for the evening so he could visit with his daughter and also get the chance of a lifetime to witness real magic. He happily did so and allowed himself to be dragged out of the Hall by his over-excited daughter. Professor Babbling and Vector, the Runes and Arithmancy teachers respectively, came down to investigate this new device. They, along with Flitwick were excited by the prospect and possibilities for future classes.

Harry had offered to Professor Flitwick that he would contact the elves and see what they had in the way of popcorn and if they didn't, what else they could whip up. Filius nodded and gave him the permission to do so before turning back to the in-depth conversation between the other teachers.

Harry made his way downstairs to the kitchen and entered to find the room in its usual state of organized chaos. He was spotted almost immediately and a couple of elves popped up in front of him.

"What can we be doing for young master?" inquired one.

"Well, I need to know if you know what popcorn is and if you do, how much do you have in stock?" Harry replied.

With a puzzled look, the first elf turned to the other and had a quiet conversation in their native language. Turning back to Harry, they sadly shook their heads, "We is sorry young master but we is not knowing 'popcorn.'"

Harry knelt down to their level, "It's not your fault. It's a muggle snack food, which is probably why you didn't. Here, I have a couple of bags of it so you can see if you can get more. What's going to happen tonight is what is known by the muggleborns as 'movie night.' Now, this popcorn is made and eaten as a snack during the movie. The amount in these bags is not enough to give to everyone so that's why I wanted to know if you had any in stock."

Taking the bags from Harry, the elf opened one and examined the kernels and the flavoring. The second one took the opened bag, pulled out the instructions and read them. Again, they held a quick conversation before nodding. The second elf popped away while the first turned back to Harry.

"We is getting the ingredients and will have the popcorn ready for tonight's activities."

Harry stood up and bowed to the diminutive creature, "You have my thanks, Master Elf."

The elf gave a shy grin back and popped away.

* * *

That evening the whole school was in attendance not only for the night's meal but also for the first showing of 'Movie Night.' The muggleborns and muggle-raised were high spirits and were constantly chattering to their magically born and raised friends just what sort of a treat they were in for. When the dinner plates had magically cleared, in their place were bowls of some kind of strange, fluffy…something. The magically born were a bit leery but the muggleborns were fairly laid-back about it.

Hermione had been chosen, since it _was _her idea, to go up to the front and introduce her father and the reasoning behind the event. Knees practically knocking and her fingers shivering; Hermione managed to get up on stage and turn to face everyone.

"H-Hi. Um…tonight's entertainment is being brought to y-you by my father, Doctor Daniel Granger. His hobby is collecting old movie projectors and their accessories along with old films." Dan stood up and gave a nod to everyone. "There are bowls of popcorn and the usual drinks on the tables there and I-I thought that perhaps we could start with something simple and watch a movie that had some magical elements in the story rather than diving into something more mundane."

With that, Professor Flitwick lowered the lights in the room and started the projector. There were some flickering lights as the film ran through its counters and alerted Filius as to the proper time to cast the Sound Charm. From the moment that the title of 'Willow' appeared to the moment when the end credits were rolling up, the room was mesmerized by what they saw. Hermione felt Harry's arms wrap around her shoulders as he gave her a comforting hug in light of her big debut in front of a large crowd.

* * *

It was decided by the staff that every Friday evening after dinner would be 'Movie Night.' Professor Sprout had contacted the Ministry to get a special dispensation to connect the Grangers' fireplace up to the Floo Network directly to her office alone so the school could send back the films that had already been watched for new ones. Hermione was practically floating without the aid of a charm everywhere she went. It was helped by nearly everyone complimenting her on the novelty of muggle movies.

The movies that were selected were wide and varied. They ranged from the silent films of Laurel and Hardy, Buster Keaton to the talking movies like 'The Wizard of Oz,' Disney's animated 'The Sword in the Stone,' 'Dumbo,' and so many others. The theater arts group immediately offered Hermione a place amongst their ranks and when not studying or hanging out with her friends, she could often be found helping to organize and produce their next performances.

* * *

_**Headmaster's office…**_

Albus was sitting in his office sucking on one of his favorite lemon drops as he contemplated all the recent changes and events going on in his school. He was annoyed by just about all of it since he wasn't included in the planning or even consulted to find out if such things like bringing in a muggle parent was even allowed! Truth be told, if he _were_ consulted, he'd have denied the access. _'Better the children be kept away from undue influences and under mine. I'm starting to wish I had a way to have prevented Harry Potter from getting his Letter. That boy has brought nothing but trouble from day one!'_

* * *

_**Valentine's Day…**_

To some it is a day of love and caring with that someone special in your life. To others, it's a that moment where you're sweating it out because you either forgot or couldn't think of anything to do or give to that significant other. In Harry's case, it wasn't that he forgot about it, rather he was bricking it because he couldn't decide on what to do! He'd spoken with a couple of the older Puffs, both male and female, as to what the best sort of gift and/or date would be for someone his age and had gotten quite an earful of advice; some good, some bad, some just…bizarre.

He'd even written to Hermione's parents to find out what her favorite foods, tastes in music and the other things that she was in to that he couldn't ask her if he still wanted their date to be a surprise.

The week before, Harry'd approached Hermione in the library to find out if she'd be willing to spend the day with him.

Playfully smirking she commented, "But, Harry, I spend nearly _all_ my free time with you. Why should that particular day be any different?" The sparkle in her eyes suggested she knew _exactly _which day was in question and why Harry was asking but she was having so much fun twigging him that she was loathe to give him a break.

Sighing in feigned exasperation, "Hermione, I know that you know that I know what is so special about that day a week from now. It's no surprise that it's Valentine's Day. I just wanted to know if you'd go on a date with me?"

Surprise flitted across her cute features, "A-a _date_? An actual…date? With me?"

Slightly confused, Harry slowly nodded, "Yeahh… you know anyone else named Hermione Jean Granger that goes to this school?"

"Um, yeah. Sure, Harry, I'd love to be your date for Valentine's Day. Did you have anything in mind?" she stammered.

"I got a few ideas in the works. Just dress nicely and keep the day open."

Hermione let loose a bright, happy smile and nodded vigorously, "G-great! I'll…um, I look forward to it."

* * *

Next thing Harry had to do was get permission from Professor Sprout to get the things he needed to make sure their date went smoothly. Pomona was all smiles and even giggled lightly a few times as Harry laid out his plans for the best day ever.

"I'm thinking that I'll need to write to Mr. Granger and see if he has any light-hearted romance films. I have no idea if that's even possible but…" he continued to ramble on.

Pomona finally held up her hands and got his attention, "Perhaps you're going a bit overboard here, Harry. A first date should be something simple, even simpler than what you just described. I'd recommend doing something like having a picnic in the greenhouse or perhaps in Potter's Place, do something artistic together, or just play in the snow together building snowmen and having a snowball fight."

Harry cocked his head in thought before sighing deeply and loudly, "Yeah, I guess we could do that. I just wanted everything to be so absolutely perfect that people would be talking about it for years to come."

Pomona could only chuckle at the romantic woes of an eleven-year-old boy.

* * *

The morning of Valentine's Day arrived and all throughout breakfast the owls were swarming around delivering gifts and flowers to their intended recipients. There were oohs and ahhs permeating throughout the Great Hall, even a few groans and grumbles as someone received a gift from a hopeless or undesired romantic.

Hermione was sitting in her favorite spot at the Puff's table eating her porridge with her friends when she and everyone else heard the gentle strumming sounds of someone playing a guitar. The room quieted down as they all tried to figure out where it was coming from. She finally recognized that everyone in the room had turned their heads towards the door and spotted Harry walking in with a seventh year Slytherin guitar player slowly striding in behind him. Her eyes widened comically as she thought he was about to serenade her but he merely plonked himself down across from her and watched as the Slytherin sauntered over to his swooning girlfriend.

"For a moment there, I'd thought you were going to serenade me with a song, Harry." Hermione commented quietly.

Harry huffed, "I'm talented in many things, Hermione but singing isn't one of them. Dudley once said that I sounded like someone was trying to use a chainsaw to recreate the opening soundtrack for Doctor Who." Hermione's laugh echoed across the Hall.

* * *

Harry had decided to follow Pomona's suggestion to do something simple. _'She's right, of course. The more elaborate things can come later.'_ He'd finally decided on something fun without being too 'gooey' with the romantic feelings. Hermione arrived just a little before eleven in the morning at Potter's place, per Harry's suggestion. He welcomed her inside with a warm smile and open arms.

"Welcome to Casa de Potter!" he said cheekily as she just shook her head minutely and giggled, "Today, I have something special lined up for just the two of us."

She wiggled side to side cutely, "Oh, Mr. Potter? What sort of wild and crazy thing do you have planned?"

He mockingly put his hand on his chest and let out a gasp, "Hermione Granger! I'm only eleven! I got time to do the sickeningly sweet, gooey dates later." Then he softened up, "Nah, I thought we'd just spend the afternoon playing in the snow, make some snowmen and have a snowball fight with anyone who dares show their faces."

"In that case, I approve. Let's get ready shall we?"

* * *

The Great Hogwarts Snow War of 1992 was a smashing success as far as the kids were concerned. The two lovebirds teamed up with the other Hufflepuffs they managed to con into joining and squaring off anyone who approached and wasn't of their House. The Weasley twins got wind of this and set up the Gryffindor Zone not too far away and charmed the snowballs to repeatedly attack anyone and everyone.

When they finally got too cold, wet and tired from the activities, everyone congratulated each other on a fun day and trooped back inside to where the elves had setup a hot drink bar complete with various hot soups, hot chocolate and teas.

As far as Hermione was concerned, it was the perfect capper to a perfect day.

* * *

Two weeks later, Harry received a letter in the morning mail bomb from Director Bones about the status of the Sirius Black affair. In it, she stated that Black was responding well to treatment and had consented to being dosed with Veritaserum, a powerful truth-inducing potion. When their interview had concluded, it was clear that the only thing that Sirius was guilty of was being a bit of a rake and a general scoundrel _not_ a murderer. The next step in the process to get him free was to bring the case before the Wizengamot, the governing body of magical Britain. She hoped to have the case presented and heard by the month of April, if not sooner.

In addition, Harry also received a letter from the Dursleys.

_Dear Harry;_

_How are things going up there in magic-land? Learned how to pull rabbits out of hats yet? (Dudley)_

_Ignore him, Harry. Seriously though, I hope you're learning a lot and staying out of trouble. I wanted to thank you for the wonderful gifts you sent for springtime. The gardening gloves you sent are so interesting! Charmed to change color based on the soil quality and water levels? That's so helpful! (Petunia)_

_Why'd you send me a couple of those gold coins, Harry? You know that I can't spend them here, right? That ceramic mask you sent however, I really love it! I have it hanging up on my office wall. I do have a question though, why does it change color whenever someone comes into the room? What do the colors mean?" (Vernon)_

_That reminds me, Harry, I was wondering if you knew of any magical potions that can change the color of milk when it gets too old for safe consumption without needing to open the container? (Petunia)_

_I can't wait for you to come home, Harry. It's no fun here with just the adults. I got a new video game I wanna show you. (Dudley)_

_Well, that's all for now. Hope things are going well up there in Scotland. We all miss you greatly. It's just too quiet in the backyard without you working on your pottery and playing that radio of yours._

_Love you, _

_Petunia, Vernon and Dudley_

* * *

Harry wrote back telling his uncle that the coins were for him to hold onto in case of a financial emergency. He mentioned that the coins didn't have any enchantments on them and could be melted down and sold for the price of gold on the muggle stock market, if needed. The mask he'd made for his uncle was charmed to react in different colors based on the intent of his visitors. If, for example, someone were being dishonest, the mask would change to a green color or if someone were angry with him, it'd change to a red color (though he figured his uncle would recognize if someone were angry with him.) Harry wrote his aunt and said that there was a potion for detecting spoils and that he'd try to work it into his next project before sending it to her. With Dudley, he jokingly suggested that instead of his video game, he should go out and get some exercise if Dudley wanted to impress him.

He glanced around him and saw one of the other Puffs examining their camera and headed over, "Hey, Steven. Neat camera. Would you mind if I asked you something?"

Steven put down the tool he was holding and motioned for Harry to ask his question.

"Would you mind if I were to borrow this to take some photos of the castle and the grounds for my aunt and uncle?"

Steven pursed his lips and suggested that he'd take the photos as long as Harry told him what it was that he wanted, "It's a vintage camera from my grandfather and I'd rather not risk it getting damaged by anyone else, Harry."

Harry gave a small smile and shrugged, "It's not a problem, thanks."

The two Puffs then headed out as Harry pointed out the highlights he wanted to be photographed. As they descended into the dungeons on their way to the potions lab, Harry inquired as to what Steven wanted to trade for the photos.

"How about five Galleons for the set?"

Harry held out his hand, "Deal!"

Harry paid for the set and got the photos a couple of days later then packaged them up with the return letter to his relatives. There were candid shots of all the major points of interest as well as various shots of Potter's Place, Artist's Row and of him as well. Harry then trooped up to the Owlery and sent them off with Hedwig.

A second letter reply was written and sent to Director Bones thanking her for the update she'd sent earlier.

His third letter was to Sirius himself, explaining Harry's role in getting him the trial that should've been held ten years ago. In it, he also gave Sirius the background of his living arrangements and what his life had been like since that night. He explained that even though the Will stated that he was never supposed to go to the Dursleys, Harry was happy with them and they with him. Harry invited Sirius to write back and let him know about Sirius' recovery and what sort of plans the man had for when he officially got released.

* * *

**[A/N: My postings will probably slow down a bit. I'm all out of pre-written chapters. It takes time to research things.]**


	12. Chapter 11

**[A/N: Here's a short-ish chapter to hold you while I finish up the Makers' Faire chapter.]**

* * *

Harry was in Potter's Place working on a new glazing experiment. The idea had been born after catching another first year idly blowing bubbles in his chocolate milk and that sparked an interesting idea. Standing at his crafting table, he took a glass and put in three tablespoons of water, one tablespoon of glaze undercoat, three drops of liquid soap and stirred it until it was combined. Next, he took one of his spare bisque fired bowls, put it in a larger tray and using a straw, created bubbles in the glass and allowed them to spill over the surface of the bowl.

After letting it dry and the bubbles to pop on their own, he gave it an overcoat of clear glaze and let that dry before putting it in the kiln. When he pulled it out, he examined it for any defects but overall, he was pleased with the effect. The rings of bubble 'shadows' had feathered edges and looked quite nice. He made a note in his design book and put the bowl aside. At the sound of a throat being cleared, he looked up to see Professor Snape standing in the 'gallery,' quietly examining a cute, rounded zebra-shaped planter.

"Professor," Harry acknowledged, "Was there something you needed?"

"No, not really. Just curious as to what you were working on. I haven't had the opportunity to see your latest works."

Harry nodded politely, "If you see anything or have any questions, please let me know."

"I will. Thank you."

* * *

While Harry was busy working on another couple of experiments, Severus continued his examination of the displays. The craftsmanship was as always, exquisite. It still amazed him that the son of James Potter had talents that the elder Potter never showed. True, the boy did pull a few pranks here and there but nothing to the level of his father and definitely not malicious in any way. It was a nice change of pace. _'Not to mention that I enjoy watching the boy work with the ceramics. It's relaxing and soothing.'_

"Mr. Potter?" Harry looked up, a paintbrush resting between his lips, "Would you happen to have more of those light-reactive ingredient jars?"

Harry narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips in thought before rising and moving over to his storage cabinet, digging through the collection of boxes. He pulled back with a puzzled expression and tapped his chin with a finger. "I could've sworn I had more. Are they critically needed cause it'll take a couple of days for me to make them."

"No, they're not critical but it would still be nice to have a few extra on-hand."

Harry walked over to his order book and made an entry, "Okay, professor. I should have it ready by next Wednesday."

Severus inclined his head in acceptance, "Thank you, Mr. Potter." He then left the studio.

* * *

Springtime rolled around and the castle and grounds were waking from their long wintertime slumber. The hills and fields came alive with swaths of blooming flowers and the skies were filled with chirping birds and humming bees. Harry spent the morning one Saturday sweeping out the accumulated dust and debris of Potter's Place. The studio and its outdoor 'courtyard' had gained popularity as being the 'cool' place to hang out with friends when wandering up and down the Row. Millie Bulstrode had an easel set up and was in the middle of re-creating the scene that Harry had inadvertently presented.

Harry looked up and spotted her glancing in his direction with a small smirk on his face. He smiled back in response but didn't say anything. As he opened one of the windows to let in some more fresh air, he saw Hermione approaching.

"Hey, Hermione! What's up?"

"Hi, Harry. Nothing much, just wanted to see what you're up to."

"Just doing some spring cleaning and Millie's here working on another painting. I got some pottery blanks if you want to do some glazing?"

She nodded happily and entered the studio whilst pulling back her hair from her face. Harry got her set up at one of the worktables and pointed out where the brushes and glaze jars were.

"Don't worry about following a particular pattern, just let your creativity take you where it wants to go. If you make a mistake, just use a damp cloth to wipe away the mess and start over. Remember, even a tiny mistake can have some interesting results."

* * *

Terry Boot swung by later to see what Harry was up to and to find out if he were interested in getting together to study for their upcoming Defense test. He poked his head into the studio with the question on his lips only to see a sight that made it die a quiet death. Harry was sitting behind Hermione at one of the pottery wheels with his arms wrapped around her waist as he guided her hands in sculpting a bowl. It was such a touching scene that Terry was loathe to interrupt.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when someone tapped on his shoulder. Whirling around, he saw that it was the Weasley twins. _'That's cause enough to be jumpy. I swear they need to wear some sort of cowbell to announce their presence.'_ Terry put his finger to his lips and gestured at the romantic scene playing out in front of them. The twins smiled when they saw it and nodded as they pulled back.

"Not a problem," Twin One whispered.

"We can get together later," finished Twin Two just as quietly.

* * *

_**At the spring meeting of Artist's Row in Potter's Place…**_

Harry merely observed the goings-on and conversations that the other members of the Artist's Row were having while relaxing in his favorite chair and occasionally tending to the fire in the dragon heater. Some of the others were currently discussing techniques in mixing the proper ratio for a general purpose cleaner for horsehair paintbrushes while those of the different disciplines were swapping tales or deals for this and that. A couple of the artists were experimenting with adding ingredients to a cauldron simmering quietly on the stovetop. Harry's nose told him it was some kind of tomato soup.

A third year Gryffindor leant over, "Thanks again for letting us hold the meeting here, Harry."

Harry waved his hand dismissively, "It's not a problem and I rather enjoy it. It's interesting to listen to everyone's thoughts on how to improve a technique or recommend a solution to a problem."

They turned back to the conversation as it was wrapping up. When their nominal leader asked if anyone had any other questions or conversation ideas, Harry raised his hand.

"I had this wild idea…"

* * *

_**In Professor McGonagall's office…**_

"Professor? Do you have a moment?" Minerva looked up to see Harry nervously standing outside her door.

"Sure, Mr. Potter. Come on in and have a seat. What's on your mind?"

Harry gingerly sat down in the offered chair and nervously picked at his fingernail for a moment, "Well, the thing is… um, you see… sigh. We in the Artist's Row were hoping to get permission to hold an art sale and gallery exhibition or as it's known in the muggle world as a 'Makers' Faire.' We would open it to the school and if it's possible, to the townspeople of Hogsmeade."

Minerva gazed at the messy, raven-haired boy and smiled internally. She had a number of his pieces as well as a couple of other works from the other artists in the school. "Just Hogsmeade? I would think you'd want to open it up to anyone who wished to visit?"

"That'd be great though I have no idea whom to contact within the Ministry," he replied.

She leant back in her chair and thought for a moment, "Well, how about writing an announcement to the _Daily Prophet_ and include in there that it's open to everyone who wishes to attend?"

Harry agreed with that, "What about the parents of the students? I know that my aunt and uncle would love to see the school."

Minerva shook her head against that idea, "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. We don't have enough of those runic pendants like the one that Doctor Granger used."

Harry hummed in contemplation before perking up, "Are they that difficult to make? What about that Knight Bus I've heard the other students talking about?"

Minerva chuckled at his zeal, "Same problem. The Knight Bus is more like a ride on one of the Gringott's vault carts than a proper mode of transportation. The pendants aren't all that difficult to make. You could probably churn out a full dozen in a matter of an hour. It becomes a problem because the runes have to be engraved by hand and Professor Babbling is busy. Sorry…"

Harry shrugged though still upbeat, "It's no problem. Will you help me draft the notice to the newspaper?" Minerva nodded and pulled out a sheet of parchment and a spare quill.

* * *

Harry thought about the runic pendants again later in the evening after everyone had gone to bed. Deciding that sleep was going to elude him until he solved the problem, he opened up his trunk and climbed down into it. He walked into the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water before heading into his indoor studio. While nowhere near as well equipped or stocked as Potter's Place, it did have a basic set of his most commonly used tools. He dug around in his toolbox and came up with his wooden rune punches. He then grabbed a couple of handfuls of air dry clay and began shaping them into simple ovals before pressing the necessary symbols for the null-magic rune arrays like the one that Dan Granger had worn.

Once they were pressed and dried, he used his wand to infuse them with magic. He watched in fascination as the magic slowly spread through the array and glowed green, showing that the magic had accepted the array. Smiling broadly that he'd solved the problem as he saw it, he nodded and put them in a pouch to be handed off to Professor Babbling in the morning for approval.

* * *

Morning came and Harry approached Professor Babbling. He explained what the problem was as it was described by Professor McGonagall and his solution to the situation. He showed her his wooden rune punches and asked her to confirm his theory. Professor Babbling pulled out her own wand and with a few deft flicks, a complicated and ethereal mist rose from the pendant. Glowing green symbols and numbers floated in the air, it was obviously something that she understood and caused her to grin widely and nod once in acceptance.

"_Exquisite _work, Mr. Potter! You say you did this last night?"

"Yes, ma'am. I couldn't sleep and decided to just try and solve the problem. Judging by your reaction, I'd say it was a success?"

"Most definitely. If you were in my class, this would be worth an easy Outstanding. Do you have any write-up on it?"

Harry shook his head, "No, professor." He shrugged, "I just used the same pattern that was on the necklace pendant that Dr. Granger wore then gave it a shot of magic from my wand."

Professor Babbling handed back the pendant, "When you get to the end of second year, you'll be asked to choose two electives. Based on this work, I'd like to see you in my class."

Harry smiled shyly a bit, "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you, professor."

* * *

With the approval of the test piece, Harry got to work mass-producing the fired versions. He set up an assembly line of sorts and enlisted the aid of a couple of other students. One used a form that he'd created to mold an oval shaped lump of clay. Each form was capable of creating a batch of forty. The next pierced a hole in one end for the eventual installation of a string and arranged them on a tray to partially dry. The third in line took down a previously finished tray and pressed the completed rune array into the leather hard clay. Harry asked a seventh year rune student set up a warded drying rack to accelerate the drying process. Harry was also in charge of loading the completed pendants into the kiln to be fired.

By the end of the day, they'd churned out nearly a thousand pendants. Harry shook hands with his workers and congratulated everyone for a job well done. "I'm really impressed and incredibly grateful for your efforts and time that was spent getting these ready for the parents. I'm hopeful that by next weekend, we'll have the entire job completed."

* * *

Tuesday afternoon, Harry was in the Great Hall for lunch. He sat at the Gryffindor table talking with Neville though he kept glancing at the teacher's table. After trying to keep his friend's attention, Neville finally asked him what was going on.

"Am I that boring, Harry?"

Harry turned back to his friend, "Hmm? Oh, I'm sorry, Neville. I'm just waiting for Professor McGonagall to fall victim to a prank I set up."

That caught the attention of the Weasley twins who were sitting nearby.

"Did we hear correctly?" asked Twin One.

"Did Harry Potter set up a prank?" asked Twin Two.

Harry grinned evilly, "Yup. It's another one of those non-magical pranks. See that can of candied pecans with the pink ribbon sitting in front of the dear professor?" The twins and Neville nodded. "Contained within is a spring-loaded fake snake that will pop out when she removes the lid."

Sure enough, Professor McGonagall let out a shriek of surprise when she removed the lid and the colorful fake snake jumped up and out of the canister. The Hall erupted in laughter as she gasped and patted herself on the chest as she tried to get her heartbeat to slow down. She glared down at the Gryffindor table in the general direction of the twins.

* * *

Harry and Neville managed to escape from the collateral damage of McGonagall yelling at the twins for something that could've only been one of their pranks. They vehemently denied it and tried to pin it on Harry but she wouldn't be swayed. When the twins found the two firsties slumped up against the wall just outside the Hall, laughing their butts off; they congratulated Harry on a successful execution of the prank.

"Impressive, young Harrykins." Said Twin One.

"Indeed, brother of mine. It's not everyday that someone manages to get the two of us." Concluded Twin Two.

They patted him on the shoulder and left with large grins on their faces. Harry turned to Neville and asked if he had anything on his face or back. Those evil smiles from the twins never boded well for the recipients. Neville shook his head and gestured with his hands that he couldn't see anything but that didn't mean anything.

"I know that they do have the capability of casting wandlessly so I'd recommend finding a teacher to cast a detection charm."

"Do you know how to cast a _finite_ charm?" Neville thought for a moment before shaking his head no.

Harry glanced back into the Hall, "Alright, never mind. I'll go see if Professor Flitwick is available. I want to stay away from McGonagall until she stops growling."

* * *

That weekend found Harry busy cataloguing everything in his studio, pulling and sorting the pottery to be displayed and potentially sold at the upcoming art sale. He figured he'd be up late finishing up some of his nesting dish and cookware he'd been experimenting with. These were made to look like various vegetables and brightly painted. He included his utensil and book rests that looked like various fish and other marine life. He smiled as he found a salt and pepper shaker set that looked like two koalas hugging each other. _'Like Hermione and I. Cute and always hugging.'_

He was so involved with the organization he didn't realize just how late it was getting.

"Mr. Potter?" He jumped and nearly dropped a large vase on the floor. He whirled around and spotted Professor Sprout looking in with a curious expression on her face.

"Professor! You startled me. Sorry, was there something you needed?"

Pomona Sprout chuckled lightly, "It's nearly curfew. I wanted to stop by and see if you were okay." Harry checked the clock on the wall and felt his mouth drop open in surprise.

"Wow, it really is late. Okay, just let me put this away and I'll head back unless you want to stick around for a few?" Pomona nodded and took a seat as she watched Harry quickly pack up.

"So how are things coming along for the Artists Faire?"

Harry smiled happily, "It's amazing! I never realized just how…I hate to use the word 'starved,' maybe 'eager' would be a better choice to use to describe the energy everyone seems to have. I've also heard a rumor from the Council that the name is going to be changed from 'Artists' Faire' to 'Makers' Faire.'" He grimaced, "Really the same thing, I prefer the first one, though." Pomona chuckled.

"I heard from Professor McGonagall about getting the muggleborns' parents up here using the Express and that it was your idea."

"More like a wild thought that happily bore fruit. I'm still surprised that no one's ever thought about it before."

Pomona shrugged, "Well, it's not easy coming up with dozens of charmed bracelets that would negate the anti-muggle charms that protect the castle and grounds."

Harry paused and turned to look at her with a curious expression, "I don't know why that is. I had an assembly line of some friends of mine and we churned out a couple of thousand pendants complete with the rune array in one weekend."

"A couple _thousand?_"

Harry nodded distractedly as he finished putting away the last of his pieces, "Uh-huh. I built a couple of forms to assist in keeping everything pretty much standard. The rune array was embedded in the pendants using a wooden 'punch' as was the hole for the necklace string. Once each batch was done, I fired them in the kiln."

Pomona shook her head in amazement as she escorted him back to the Puff Common Room.


	13. Chapter 12

**[A/N: And now... "LAAAADDDIIIEESS AND GENTLEMEN! I GIVE YOU THE MUCH ANTICIPATED AND REASON FOR WHY I EVEN STARTED WRITING THIS STORY! I GIVE YOU THE FIRST ANNUAL HOGWARTS 1992 MAKERS' FAIRE!]**

* * *

**Sunday 26 April, 1992 First Annual Hogwarts Makers' Faire**

The date for the first annual Hogwarts' Makers' Faire was locked down to Easter Sunday. The morning of the event, the weather was near perfect. Bright, clear skies with only the occasional small puffy clouds in the distance. The Hogwarts Express had been loaded with extra carriages and was quietly steaming at Platform 9 ¾ in King's Cross Station while waiting for the parents to board before heading north. Onboard would also be the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge and his entourage and a contingent of press. The departure time was set for 8am so the guests would have more time to visit and partake in the festivities.

The school had been primped and primed from top to bottom. Everything was scrubbed and cleaned to the point where the suits of armor gleamed like new. Anything that was in need of repair was fixed or replaced, the windows were washed and new flags were hoisted. The Common Rooms and dorms were aired out and cleaned to within an inch of their proverbial lives. Argus Filch was happily busy coordinating with groups of students and the elves to make sure everything was in tip-top shape. Despite the rush to get everything done on time, there was an undercurrent of excitement. Never in living memory had something like this been attempted. Some of the more interested Ravenclaws even attempted to research through the library to see if there were any references of a faire being held in the past. They did find some records but the information was sparse.

* * *

Albus was again in a snit but that was being resoundingly ignored by more and more staff members and especially by the students. Everyone was excited and preparing to showcase the school so it made for an somewhat sporadic conversation topic as to why the headmaster would be so against it.

The evening before the Faire, the senior staff was gathered to go over last minute issues. Professor Flitwick motioned in the general direction of the headmaster's office, "I still don't see what Albus' problem is?"

"I've heard a rumor that he's tried to floo call the Minister and the Prophet telling them that the Faire had been cancelled." Commented Pomona as she rifled through her notes.

"Aye, he tried but on the invitation letter that was sent to them, there's a little note that if they have any questions to floo call me. I set them straight," sighed Minerva. "The portrait of Headmistress Eupraxia Mole informed me of Albus' plans."

Severus gave a disgusted sneer, "He's upset that nothing is going according to his plan for the 'Greater Good.'"

Minerva harrumphed at that, "Just _how_ could holding a Makers' Faire and bringing in the public and parents be against that?"

"I think it's more the fact that he wasn't consulted or even approached for advice and approval. He's throwing a temper tantrum like a spoiled child."

They rolled their eyes and groaned at Albus' contrariness.

* * *

The Faire grounds were laid out in a relatively loose grid-like fashion though the lanes were slightly winding to give it a semi-organic feel. It had been decided to locate it in the main courtyard and the surrounding grounds. There were designated 'zones' for each of the different disciplines. The artists of the Papercraft Guild, as they liked to be referred as, drew up the maps to be handed out to the guests as they entered.

Each of the zones had two representatives to guide those who wished it. They would be responsible to describe the art displayed and answer any questions that may arise. There were food and drink stalls, the alcoholic drink stalls separated from the others by a fence and an age line. All manner of dishes were being served, each representative of the chef's family history, geographical region and personal preference.

For those who got tired of walking and just wanted a place to relax, there were plenty of little 'islands' of stone and wooden benches encircled by decorative bushes and flowers and warded to deaden the sounds of the faire slightly.

Greenhouse 1 and 2 were chosen to be a display for the easier plants, both magical and mundane, and allow the students to show off what they'd learned in class. The ghost of Sir Nicholas would handle tours of the school itself. All House Common Room guardians were instructed to open regardless who approached them.

There was even a section for the smaller children who wanted to ride or pet the friendlier animals. Hagrid had been approached by the Council and heartily agreed to bring a select number of more advanced creatures to be displayed. In addition, he and Professor Kettleburn, the Care of Magical Creatures instructor would be on hand to answer any questions.

Professor Kettleburn examined the paddock for the Mooncalves. They were currently resting inside their shelter so that gave Silvanius the opportunity to sweep out any bits of detritus from their last outing. He nodded to himself that the area looked fine before heading over to the aviary. He merely looked in through the window and spotted one of the Auguries gently swinging on its perch before he turned and headed back to the castle.

* * *

The Quidditch field tribunes were inspected and repaired as needed then given a fresh coat of paint. The magical loudspeaker was tested and tuned by Lee Jordan of Gryffindor who was going to be the announcer for the exhibition games. Madam Hooch, the school's flying instructor went through all of the available brooms and made note of which desperately needed to be scrapped. Unfortunately, that was most of them. She approached Minerva and again requested the school purchase some new ones so their guests wouldn't be in danger.

"Have you checked the storage rooms or with the elves, Rolanda?" Minerva asked.

Rolanda blinked back nonplussed, "You think they'd know?"

Minerva harrumphed, "There's very little that happens here that they don't know about. Go check with them and see what they say."

So Rolanda did check and low and behold, the elves came through. They brought out dozens of brooms from who-knew-where for inspection. Rolanda's eyes widened at the sight of some of the older brooms. _'Some of these are ancient but brand-new! This Moontrimmer is practically in mint condition and is worth a fortune.'_

* * *

Hermione had spoken with Professor Sprout, the Council as well as the Head Elf for the school's complement of elves to be present within the faire and be visible as well.

"I know that they're normally invisible but I don't think that it's fair that they do all the heavy work and not be recognized." She commented during one planning session.

"We is being happy to help, young miss." The Head Elf, Rimsy, replied.

Hermione examined the elf's uniform, "Rimsy? Do all the elves wear the same sort of uniform? I mean, is there any way to differentiate between who does what?"

Rimsy glanced down at her tea towel before looking up and shaking her head, "No, miss. We is knowing which elf is responsible for what. We is not usually seen."

"What did you have in mind, Miss Granger?" Council leader Marcus Robertson of Ravenclaw asked.

Hermione shrugged a shoulder, "I don't know. How about a different colored tea towel to denote area of expertise?"

* * *

Breakfast for the denizens of the castle were a simple affair, most of the thousand or so were too busy to be eating as they were in the process of getting their shops, stalls or zones opened for the day. Those who used fire as part of their craft, such as Harry's kiln and Vincent's forge, were being tended to by a couple of assistants. The other zones who needed the feeds off of those fires, such as hot water for the leather and woodcrafters and candle makers would need to have those features ready to go when the faire opened. The cobblers were busy polishing the last of the shoes they'd planned to sell that day and making one last check to ease their minds and to give their twitchy fingers something to do.

Despite the rampant nervousness from the artists, there was laughter and joking heard throughout the grounds.

* * *

When the train steamed into the station at Hogsmeade and began unloading its passengers, the excitement and anticipation ramped up to stratospheric levels. The guests were escorted over to the horseless carriages and driven up to the entrance to the highly anticipated Makers' Faire. Muggles and magicals mixing joyfully in large numbers for the first time in centuries.

Draco located his father and mother fairly easily. _'Our blonde hair certainly makes that easy.'_ "Mother, Father. It's a pleasure to welcome you to the first Hogwarts Makers' Faire" he intoned pleasantly, "I have a map for each of you and I'll be your designated guide to the festivities."

Lucius quirked an eyebrow at his son. The boy's attitude was amusing to say the least, a bit pompous but still with an air of superiority. "What is your involvement with this event, Draco?"

Draco puffed up proudly, "I'm in charge of the first year planning team for Slytherin House. I'm also the one who liaisons with the other planning teams to make sure that everyone knows where they need to go and what to do in case of an emergency."

Lucius straightened proudly, "That's excellent, son."

Narcissa examined the map, "Where would you recommend that we start, Draco?"

"There's a 'Makers' Faire Introduction' seminar happening at the main tent in ten minutes. It's where the Council will introduce themselves as well as the representatives for the different zones and go over some basic rules. The rules are simple, really. 'Be nice and be courteous. Magically raised, please don't insult the muggle parents.' That sort of thing. Mr. Weasley's even got a mention in the speech. He's going to be warned not to pester the muggle parents with his questions on how things are done in their world."

Narcissa and Lucius laughed as they gestured for their son to lead the way.

* * *

As Council leader, it was up to Seventh year Ravenclaw Marcus Robertson to open the festival. He climbed up the stairs to the Welcome Platform and cast a _Sonorous_ charm on himself.

"Welcome one and all to the first ever Hogwarts' Artists' Row 'Makers' Faire of 1992!'" The crowd cheered loudly. "I'm sure everyone here is just anxious to get out there and see what's in store for them and I promise to keep this speech short. I do want to mention a few rules to everyone. First and foremost, have fun! This faire was put together and organized primarily by your sons and daughters so please let us know if there are any problems. Second, please be courteous to each other. There are parents here from both sides of the magical divide and they may not be aware of the prevailing customs and etiquette that you may be familiar with. If that is the case, _ask_ _for clarification! _We here have no problems helping you solve yours. Third, (he glanced pointedly over at Mr. Weasley who blushed profusely) please do not approach the non-magical families solely in the intent of pestering them for information about the non-magical world. If you wish to have a conversation, there are plenty of 'relaxation oases' scattered throughout. Well, those are the major points I wanted to cover. So without further ado, LET THE MAKERS' FAIRE COMMENCE!" The crowd cheered one more time before dispersing through the gate.

* * *

Dan and Emma Granger were enjoying themselves immensely. This was Emma's first time to the school so her head was on a constant swivel trying to take it all in. The sights, smells and sounds were at times both confusing and exciting. Nearly everything she thought she recognized had some elements of magic in it, which made even the mundane act of trash collection interesting. The garbage cans, once filled were magically emptied without even being touched!

They and Hermione met up at the entrance; Hermione launched into her now usual 'Hermione-babble' greeting and hugs. She handed her parents a map and began explaining at high speed all the things that she wanted to show them.

"One thing I'm really excited for is I'll finally be able to show you what kinds of magic I've been learning, mum. I'm taking part in the Dueling competition and the First Year Spell Demonstration Team."

Emma slung her arm around her daughter and smiled happily. Dan took his wife's hand as their exuberant daughter dragged them into the faire.

* * *

The biggest surprise of all, for Harry at least, was the appearance of the Dursleys. All three were there; Petunia was nearly in tears when she stepped onto the grounds. Harry ran up to them and was enveloped in a strong hug by his aunt.

"I didn't know that you were going to be here! Why didn't you tell me?" he exclaimed.

Vernon grinned as he clapped Harry on the shoulder, "Wanted to surprise you. It was a near thing; the surprise nearly got ruined. Your aunt almost wrote to you in our last letter. I spotted it and stopped her."

Harry was nearly swooning in giddiness, "I have so much to show you! I'm in charge of the Pottery Zone as well as a general representative of the whole faire."

Vernon nodded as he looked around, "So what sort of crafts do you have here, Harry?"

Harry listed them as he ticked them off his fingers, "My section, obviously. Then there's the blacksmithing/weapons area, cobblers, leather goods, jewelry making, glass making, clothier and hats, wood crafts, stone crafts, textiles and candle makers, and finally the painting crafts like portraits and whatnot."

"On top of that, we have a couple of theater tents set up for both live actors and puppet shows. When you get hungry or thirsty, there is various food and drink stalls scattered throughout. Dudley, keep in mind that there will be alcoholic drinks served but you won't be able to get to them due to some security enchantments, so please don't try."

"What sort of activities will there be," Petunia inquired, "Will we be able to see you perform magic?" Harry nodded, "I can perform just about anything I want to here. No restrictions other than the nastier sort."

"Nas-nastier sort?"

Harry tilted his head in affirmation, "Yeah, there are some cutting spells that could be considered 'dark' depending on who or what they're used on."

He partially turned to Dudley to include him, "There will be plenty of activities to both witness and participate in. There's an exhibition Quidditch game going to be held later between two teams of students of each House. There'll also be broom rides available to anyone who wants to try it." Both Dudley and Vernon perked up at the sound of that. "There's an area set up for archery and axe throwing, magical dueling, animal rides and petting zoo for the smaller children, face painting, and jesters will be circulating throughout the faire. I will be hosting a pottery do-it-yourself crafting table in my zone later in the afternoon."

"Dudley, you'd probably be interested to hear that they'll be having an eating contest just before lunchtime. I don't know what they'll be serving for the contest but it should be fine."

* * *

The Makers' Faire was a huge success in terms of excitement; the sharing of knowledge of skills, crafts, and public relations. The press corps roamed through the crowds, interviewing various parents, shopkeepers and students. All were positive of their surroundings and experiences. There _were_ a couple of minor incidents of ruffled feathers when the parents from the darker families were disgusted that they were being forced to mingle with the muggleborns and their parents but each problem was dealt with quickly and quietly. The DMLE was onsite to deal with anything big that might arise but for the most part they were just handling perimeter security.

Amelia managed to take enough time out of her busy schedule to wander the grounds with her niece, Susan. The bubbly first year was listing off everything that the faire had to offer that wasn't mentioned during Marcus' speech or in the advertising flyer as only an eleven-year-old girl could do. It was said very fast and all at once. Amelia could only nod at random intervals since she could barely get a word in edgewise. She was pleasantly surprised at how outgoing Susan was, since she was rather shy when not paired up with her best friend, Hannah Abbott.

* * *

Neville had convinced his grandmother to attend saying that some of the biggest names in magical Britain were supposed to be there. As the two walked around, he managed to convince her to sample some of the foods that were available at a special kiosk in the entranceway to the stretch of food tents. This kiosk had been set up with the sole purpose of assisting those who wished to try some of the more 'exotic' dishes without wasting their money if it didn't agree with them later. Maps and a pair of knowledgeable students were there to guide guests to the designated location of the proper tent of choice.

Augusta's look of surprise when she sampled a mini macaroni cheese pie made Neville smirk. When she inquired why he was smirking, he replied that it was _his_ tent that was serving the dish!

"Neville? You _cook?"_

Neville bobbled his head and waggled his hand, "Some. I was introduced to the pies back in September and have been trying my hand at making them as well. I add a dash of smoked paprika and dried chili powder to the pies to give it that subtle smoky flavor."

Augusta could only shake her head slowly in disbelief as she allowed herself to be led over to Neville's tent.

* * *

In addition to what the students and staff put together, there were also shops and stalls from the townspeople of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley. The Goblins had been invited to demonstrate and offer information to what sort of services Gringott's could offer as well as set up a portable branch outlet to handle the exchange of muggle currency to Galleons. Riptooth mentioned to Harry later that never in recent memory had the interactions between the magical population and the muggle parents been so good.

Petunia finally got her lifetime wish to enter the castle and stayed within as much as possible. She was introduced to Minerva McGonagall and the two women bonded over their love of Lily Potter nee Evans. Petunia was even allowed to enter Gryffindor Tower so she could see how Lily would've lived whilst in school. Tears were abundant during that time…

Vernon and Dudley _loved_ the broom rides, the magical dueling competitions as well as the various foods and drink stalls. Vernon got to experience firewhiskey for the first time and began to ask around as to how he could purchase some for home. He had to sign a waiver not to share it with any muggle not in the know about the magical world but he managed to procure a couple of bottles and arranged to have them delivered to his home.

Dudley fell in love with Butterbeer and begged his father to allow him to purchase a six-pack to take home. He received a promise to get some before they left that day. Over at the animal exhibitions, he was entranced with some of the creatures that he'd read in one of Harry's books back in August. He nearly lost his watch to a Niffler but managed to grab it away from the kleptomaniac critter at the last moment.

When the Quidditch games were held, both found themselves utterly captivated by the speed and aerial acrobatics that took place. They made it on time to watch the Gryffindor versus Slytherin game and had with them a short booklet that outlined the rules of the game as well as hints and pointers for which team member played what position and what the names of the equipment was. Vernon commented to the fellow next to him that he fervently wished that he could share this with the chaps back home.

As it turned out, it was Lucius Malfoy whom Vernon was seated next to. Lucius merely nodded and turned back to continue watching the game. The stray thought that if someone had told him a month ago he'd be sitting next to a muggle whilst enjoying a Quidditch game and cheering on the same team, he'd think they'd been nipping at the cooking sherry a bit hard.

* * *

The Dursleys caught up with Harry after the game and congratulated him and his fellow artists on an _absolute_ wonderful job.

"This was so much fun, Harry! I got to see and do everything I'd ever dreamt of." Dudley gushed, "I got to ride a broom, I got a wizard's hat and…" he began rambling off the list of everything he'd done or gotten. Harry just smiled happily at his cousin's exuberance.

Vernon sat down next to him and put his arm around his nephew's shoulders, "Seriously, Harry. This was a fantastic time. I can't remember when I've been somewhere, if you pardon the pun, magical. It's too bad that I can't tell my friends about what we've experienced here. That Quidditch game was intense! I doubt I'd ever had that much fun watching football at a stadium. I'd love to figure out a way to bring it to the non-magical side without running afoul of your government."

Petunia agreed with her husband, "Now I understand why Lily seemed to drift away from our family as she got older. If you can't share what you've learned with your family, then you tend to stay with those you can. It's been very cathartic to _finally_ be here and experience it. How are you holding up?" She noticed his lagging energy.

Harry waved her off concerns gently, "I'm getting a bit hungry and tired but overall I'm having a blast. It's tough trying to coordinate with the others all the while keeping track of what's going on here."

* * *

Severus surprised everyone that had ever met and worked with the man. He set up his own zone where he would brew various potions, elixirs, salves and other things that he taught the students in their respective years. He even had an area cordoned off where anyone who wanted to try his or her hands at the simpler potions could attempt it. Petunia did the best of the three Dursleys. She approached the Potions Master afterwards.

"Mr. Snape, I'm not sure if you remember me?" Severus nodded and replied that he did, "Right, I wanted to apologize for the things I've said about you when we were younger. I-I was jealous of yours and Lily's ability and bitter that I'd never have the opportunity to learn alongside you both. Now that this has happened, I just wanted to say 'I'm sorry.'"

Severus' face was impassive as he listened. He finally broke out of it and responded, "Petunia, I accept your apology and I also wish to apologize for anything that occurred between us. Your nephew has been an absolute joy to teach and I compliment you on the fine job you did in raising him. He's just like Lily; he inspires others without even trying. All of this, this faire and other things that's happened this past year has been because of him."

* * *

The only person in the entire school who wasn't having a good time was Albus. He put in the obligatory meet and greet with the Minister and press before leaving and sequestering himself in his office, brooding moodily at how things had transpired without his input and wisdom being solicited! _'I should've been in on the planning from the first moment! This is my school, my castle; my knowledge and wisdom should've been consulted! There are too many outside influences here to contain. Why won't people listen to me? After all I've done for our world, they just toss me aside…'_

Little did he know that his ruminating and plotting on how to wrest control back from those 'evil outside influences,' he was being monitored by the portraits of the past headmasters and headmistresses. They would report anything important to a new boss…

* * *

_**At Potter's Place…**_

Harry was in his element. He was busy running back and forth between the sales counter and displays, the crafting tables and answering all questions sent his way. Additionally, he was fielding reports of things that needed dealing with throughout the rest of the faire. Draco was there as well as a couple from the other zones.

"Harry, we're running low on chairs for the amphitheater," a fourth year Slytherin girl mentioned as she consulted a clipboard.

Harry thought for a moment, "I thought the amphitheater was stepped? Are all the steps filled?" The Slytherin nodded to both. "Okay, have the elves transfigure some rocks into chairs." The girl nodded in acceptance as she made a notation on her clipboard before leaving. A second year Gryffindor stepped up next, held out an order form and requested the elves bring out the extra feed stored for the animal pens. Harry signed the form and moved over to where a muggle parent had requested help on how to shape a slab of clay into a pattern he'd seen in one of the books.

Once that was done, Draco made himself known, "Harry? My parents wanted to ask if there was anything you needed help with?"

Harry looked rather surprised, "Are they getting bored or something?"

Draco kind of bobbled his head, "Sort of. Mother isn't too interested in the culinary section and doesn't want anything to do with the animals. She's mentioned that the craft zones are interesting but I think she just wants to hide herself away in the library."

"And your father?"

"He's like me; he prefers to get in the thick of things in regards to organizing and execution."

Harry shook his head and thought for a moment, "Have them get in contact with the Council. See what they say?" Draco cocked his finger at him and left.

* * *

Harry caught sight of the Weasley family as they wandered through the various shops. He waved to get the twins' attention and when they slowed down long enough to allow him to join the gaggle of redheads, he asked how everyone was faring.

"It's been wonderful, Harrykins," commented Twin One.

"Indeed, brother of mine." Replied Twin Two.

Harry was introduced to the rest of the Weasley contingent though his interaction with their little sister amounted to nothing more than an embarrassed squeak and a profuse blush from her as she hid behind her father. Eyeing the twins curiously, they quietly remarked that she had a bit of a crush on him, being the whole 'Boy-Who-Lived' and all. Harry rolled his eyes and groaned before stating loud enough for them all to hear that he wasn't _anything_ like was written in those silly children's books and that if 'someone' wanted to know more about the _real_ Harry Potter, to swing by Potter's Place and ask. Twin One smirked and patted him on the shoulder in quiet congratulations.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were interested in how Harry was able to get along with the twins over their youngest son, Ronald.

"It's simple, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Ron's jealous of anyone not showing him the slightest bit of attention and if said person got something without sharing with him, he got belligerent and rude. He's repeatedly insulted my girlfriend every time she offered to assist him with his wandwork and studies. He thinks I'm 'too good and bloody arrogant' to hang out with him. He is never seen studying and barely pays attention in his classes."

Both Weasley adults were flabbergasted at the failings of their youngest son! "But…but, he's such a sweet boy at home." Mrs. Weasley stammered."

Harry could only shrug and open his arms wide in a defeatist position, "I don't know what else to tell you. His 'greatest claim to fame' to date is being able to fit an entire sausage roll into his mouth without choking." Mrs. Weasley's face greened a bit before turning purplish in anger.

He turned to the twins, "Where is he anyways?"

Percy spoke up instead, "He's over at the tent where they'll be holding the eating contest soon." The others weren't surprised and just a little bit disgusted.

"Percy? I've been wanting to ask you," Harry began after a pause in the conversation, "When you graduate, what do you want to do?"

Percy thought about the answer for a moment, "Probably go work in the Ministry like my father though probably in a different department. Why?"

"Well, I've heard that you have a memory like a steel trap. Is it true that you memorized the school's charter and student/staff rulebook?"

Percy nodded so Harry asked him some questions that he'd memorized for this very conversation. To his credit, Percy stated the relevant rule or section within the page and also gave opinions as to _why_ said rule was created. When Harry finished testing him, Percy asked what was so fascinating about his ability.

"It's just that with that talent of yours being able to memorize obscure facts and precedents as well as knowing where to look to obtain said information, I think it'd be the greatest waste if you were to end up as some flunky for some stuffed shirt who had you running endless and thankless chores just to pass the day."

Mr. Weasley joined in the conversation, "What department would you suggest then?"

Harry pursed his lips and thought about it, "What about the legal department? All that case law, statutes and such? You'd be worth your weight in gold as a paralegal, you know, someone who helped prepare the solicitor for the upcoming case? At least you would in the non-magical world."

The look on Percy's face was priceless…

* * *

_**Later in the day…**_

Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge, was enjoying himself immensely. Here was proof of all that the magical world had to offer. It was, in his opinion, a public relations bonanza! He ambled his way down the thoroughfares, examining everything, buying a few trinkets and generally just pleased with how everything was turning out. _'If this is what can happen when the students get organized, imagine what could be possible if his Administration got involved!'_

The only darkened aspect was the sour attitude displayed by Albus. Oh, sure the man did come out and shake a few hands and officially opened the event but it was clear to Cornelius that the old codger was in a royal snit and it wasn't difficult to suss out why. _'I can't believe he'd be so petty as to be jealous of the efforts of the students and the townspeople! Sad.'_ He shook himself to dispel the melancholy that built up and sought out the organizers.

He found Harry just as the boy flopped down into his chair to take a much-needed break.

"Ah, Mr. Potter! I hope I'm not disturbing you?" Harry sighed and shook his head as he gestured to an empty chair. "Thank you, young man. So, I hear that this whole Faire was the result of your idea. I must say that I'm impressed!"

Harry smiled tiredly, "Thank you, Minister. It's been a long, hard journey but I think it's paying off in spades. It's amazing really. All of this started because I was looking for a space to put up a simple shed out back to continue working on my pottery. I had no idea it would grow to encompass all of this interest."

Cornelius was surprised, "Really?"

Harry gave a single nod, "Yup. I mentioned it before to various people but I think it was because so many students and the staff were practically _starved_ for some kind of creative outlet. It makes me wonder why the headmaster never allowed it to happen before? You'd think that he'd be more than willing to let others express themselves through art."

Cornelius sat back as he pondered that, "It _does_ seem suspect as to his motives…"

Harry gestured with a hand, "Right? I like to give folks the benefit of the doubt but my interactions with the man haven't been the greatest during this year."

"Oh?"

Harry told him about the instances where Dumbledore's actions seemed…off, starting with the Cerberus that was being held on the third floor corridor to the Mirror of Erised in an abandoned classroom where anyone could've come across it. Finally, there was the still lacking of a qualified professor for the Defense class. He mentioned that Director Bones was kind enough to station an Auror on disability leave to cover the classes but someone really ought to try and find a teacher to fill in for the man.

"I heard a rumor that the position is cursed. I don't know the details but it would seem to me that perhaps the rumor ought to be investigated then dealt with. I find it difficult to believe that after all this time of having said 'curse' in place, no one has tried to lock it down and eliminate it."

Cornelius pulled out a piece of parchment and quill to make a note of it before gesturing Harry to continue.

"Then there are the constant headaches I would get whenever I had to be in his presence. I don't know what causes them only that they'd only happen when he would be staring at my face."

The Minister was stunned! That description sounded like Albus was performing illegal Legilimency on an underage student!

"Thank you for telling me this, Mr. Potter. I'll be sure to inform the necessary people. So, on another topic! If you had the opportunity, what kinds of changes would you want to have happen here?"

Harry leant back in his chair as he thought about that before speaking, "Well, first and foremost would be the restart of a formal Arts program. Bring in professionals to teach us how to make art. Those of us in our various zones are fairly knowledgeable but for the general population? There's only so much we can do, you know?"

* * *

At dinner, Harry joined the Dursleys at a stall that was serving a traditional Irish stew and paired it with a helping of bacon and cabbage and a bottle of Butterbeer. Vernon had a roast dinner complete with all the trimmings and a pint of a student made craft beer. Petunia went with a lighter selection of a grilled chicken garden salad with light vinaigrette dressing. Dudley was busy chowing down through a plate of fish and chips.

Sighing as he finished swallowing a bite of his food, Harry said, "It feels so good to be sitting down and not being pelted with requests."

"Pass me that napkin would you, Harry?" Vernon teased with a sparkle in his eye. Harry groaned and whapped him on the arm with it.

* * *

Hermione and her parents showed up not too much later and Harry invited them to join their table. Harry made the introductions on his side while Hermione made the ones for hers.

Dan was intrigued on hearing that Vernon's company made drills, "Are they just industrial drills or do you produce medical grade?"

Vernon wiped his mouth before replying that they made all grade levels, "Let me get your contact information and I can send you some brochures, if you're interested?" Hermione transfigured a napkin into a piece of paper and produced a pen that she handed over. Dan proudly accepted them both and grinned at his daughter's ease of magic use.

"So what's been your favorite part of the Faire, Mr. and Mrs. Granger?" Harry asked.

Emma described her experience happily, "I'd have to say…everything! How can I possibly choose one thing out of it all? I've met so many interesting people and the magical creatures that live here at the castle. There's this one tiny being, I think it was introduced as an…elf?" Hermione nodded at her mother's question. "An elf, then. Very polite and eager to please. They're so adorable! Then there were the greenhouses where Hermione here showed me some of the fascinating magical plants that are used in their potions lessons."

Dan picked up at that point, "Even though I've been here before, it's not been to this level of inclusion. My favorite parts have been things like the blacksmithing area and your pottery, Harry. That Vincent Crabbe is a talented young man! To watch him sculpt metal into a delicate filigree is just astounding. Are you sure he's only eleven?" Harry laughed and nodded. "Then there were the cobblers who produced some of the finest shoes outside of Saville Row."

"Did you get anything from the shops, sir?" Dudley asked of Dan.

The older man nodded, "Yup. I picked up a gorgeous pair of boots made from dragonhide. Dragonhide, I tell you! The quality is far superior to regular cow leather in my opinion." He picked up the bag that contained the boots and showed them off to the Dursleys.

"I was surprised that another blacksmith was producing weapons to be sold. I thought there were laws against ownership of such things?" Vernon remarked.

Hermione interjected that in the magical world, things were different. "The likelihood of a duel or some form of combat is a fairly regular occurrence. The social construct here seems to have stalled out at the Victorian era." She replied knowledgeably.

* * *

The Makers' Faire ended with a serenade by the Frog Choir led by Professor Flitwick followed by a stupendous display of fireworks. The parents, staff, townspeople and especially the students were exhausted but utterly thrilled and satisfied with the results of the faire.

Harry had flopped down on the heater bench inside Potter's Place and groaned as his body protested the sudden change in orientation, "I think I'm going to sleep here tonight. I just don't have the energy to get up." Hermione, Neville and Draco giggled from where they were sitting; both boys were each drinking a bottle of Butterbeer while Hermione, a cup of hot tea.

* * *

**[A/N2: Well, there you go! I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed researching and writing it. Please leave a review or a suggestion. Thanks!]**


	14. Chapter 13

**[A/N: Sorry this took so long. This chapter fought with me tooth and nail! It's also difficult to find a decent newspaper article written about craft/Ren faires.]**

* * *

Monday morning dawned and Harry slowly dragged his carcass out of bed despite his body screaming for more sleep. He went through his morning routine and headed up to the Great Hall for breakfast. He barely acknowledged the others at the table as he poured himself a large mug of coffee and scooped up a bowl of porridge. The morning mail rush started just as life was beginning to dawn in his eyes. Hedwig landed in front of him and peered into his face before giving a concerned huff at her tired chick.

"Thank you, Hedwig. I appreciate your concern but I'm just tired after the activities yesterday. I'll be fine by this afternoon." He said as he divested her of the morning paper and handing her two strips of bacon. She accepted the reward and settled down to eat.

Harry took a sip of his coffee as he read through the headline article.

* * *

**Hogwarts School Revolutionizes Magical Arts and Crafts**

Edward Bloomer, Staff Writer

_**It's not every day when the words, 'Hogwarts' and 'Revolutionize' are used in the same sentence let alone in the field of magical crafts. Normally when someone mentions Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the image that comes to mind is a one thousand year old castle set in the Scottish Highlands, an unchanging bastion to magical learning.**_

_**The Hogwarts Express made its departure at eight in the morning from King's Cross Station in London and arrived at Hogsmeade several hours later to disgorge its passengers. Those passengers weren't the students like normal though. They were the parents and guardians of the kids who go to the school.**_

_**When those parents and guardians arrived at the gates, they were presented with a ten-minute speech by Council Leader and seventh year Ravenclaw Marcus Robertson who went over the general rules and etiquette expected of their guests. Once inside gaily decorated tents festooned with hand-drawn signs and hand-sewn flags clustered the grounds between the school and the Quidditch grounds. Everywhere you looked, there was something new and interesting to see and experience. **_

_**It was an eye-opening experience for many of the parents of the muggleborn students. Their first foray into the magical world and to some, the first chance to be able to witness what they sent their child or children to learn.**_

"My daughter is in her third year here and it's been a dream of mine to finally be able to witness her practicing magic like some of her magically raised friends. It was heart wrenching to find out that she wouldn't have been able to show off what she learned because of some outdated laws but this has given me and my husband a wonderful opportunity." – Jennifer Pikewood, Mother of Darlene Pikewood, third year Hufflepuff.

_**Over 150 students of all year levels and Houses organized and operated a veritable feast for the senses. All manner of vendors, concessions, sewn, knitted and handmade crafts were on display. Everything was laid out in craft specific 'zones' that showcased the particular talents of the craft, be it cooking and baking to doll making, embroidery and other textiles, pottery, metalsmithing, jewelry making, glass blowing and that's just the start.**_

_**Our illustrious Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge had this to say about the apparent success to yesterday's Makers' Faire:**_

'If it weren't for the artists, metalsmiths, wood carvers and their brethren, many if not all of the luxuries that we enjoy today would not be possible if it weren't for the creativity and efforts put in by the students here at Hogwarts. This Makers' Faire is just an example of what could be possible if the school and its students were offered professional instruction.' – Cornelius Fudge, Minister for Magic.

_**Yet despite the sunshine and excitement in the air, there is always one cloud on the horizon. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore was overheard mumbling to himself about how this sort of event shouldn't be held as it was a 'distraction' to the students' learning and routine as well as completely unnecessary to the Greater Good of the wizarding world. I don't know about you, ladies and gentlemen but this reporter wonders if Dumbledore's misgivings stems from the lack of involvement in the Faire and his own rather 'out-of-touch' moments that seem to be showing themselves more and more often. It begs the question, has Dumbledore reached the end of his usefulness to the future education and leadership for today's youth and is taking out his anger and frustration on our children?**_

* * *

The article was well written in Harry's opinion. It was full of glowing praise and had quotes from several parents as well as the Minister for Magic himself! Harry too, had been quoted as to the reason why the Arts Program was such a needed outlet for the students.

Harry grinned at the responses to the questions posed by the reporter. Lucius Malfoy had expressed his interest in seeing if a formal program could be instituted and as he was on the Board of Directors, he'd be looking in to see what could be arranged come their next meeting. The article did a bit of a background section stating that the fine and practical arts _had_ been part of the school's curriculum up until the late 1940s when it was slowly dismantled by the administration of the day.

Harry shook his head in disgust at that, _' I'd almost say that it was the result of Headmaster Dumbledore sticking his nose in where it didn't belong because it didn't fit into his worldview.'_

* * *

_**Up at the Teacher's Table…**_

Albus was fuming at the accolades being offered to the students while at the same time taking a poke at his reputation and career as an educator. _'How dare that little shit suggest that I'm out-of-touch and no longer relevant. Everything I've done has been for the Greater Good. This is all the Potter brat's fault. If only he would just follow the destiny I had planned out for him.' _ He glared at Harry over the top of his copy before grunting and turning the page.

Minerva was watching her colleague in the corner of her eye and inwardly sighed. _'I think that it's time for Albus to have an examination whether he wants to or not.'_ She glanced over at Poppy and the two women nodded understandingly.

* * *

The next day, Harry and the denizens of Artists' Row were going over the results of the Faire with the senior staff except for Dumbledore, who was for whatever reason, still squirreled away in his office and refused visitors.

"I think we did pretty well, professor." Harry said, "I was really impressed by the metalsmithing section. They cleared out of their stock within three hours and netted an average of two hundred Galleons for the larger sculptures." Vincent and the other blacksmiths blushed and gave each other high-fives.

Council Leader Marcus Robertson complimented the puppeteers on their splendid retelling of the founding of Hogwarts, "There's something totally hilarious at seeing a puppet version of Salazar Slytherin getting booted out of the school by a fabric Godric Gryffindor." The others giggled at the memory.

Minerva slowly shook her head in surprise as well, "I'm stunned really, and the atmosphere and goodwill that was generated definitely was helped by bringing in the muggleborns parents. That was a good idea you had, Mr. Potter." Harry looked down as he blushed at the praise.

Severus read over a letter he'd received from one of his students' parents, "I think I'm more impressed by how well the pureblood families got along with the non-magical parents. I was dreading that we'd have a revolt on our hands. I have a letter here from Lord Nott expressing his thanks for allowing the non-magical parents to join in the festivities. He mentions that he found several new contacts for his potion ingredient shipping business."

"I was also impressed by your actions, Severus. See? It didn't kill you to interact with others," Minerva gently teased her younger colleague. Severus merely narrowed his eyes and gave a small sneer back.

Filius chuckled as he looked over his copy of the report, "I agree with Severus on the tolerance displayed between the non-magical and magical families. The Aurors that were there ended up rather bored. I gather Arthur Weasley managed to keep himself under control?"

"Yes, though I think that may have had more to do with his wife, Molly." Pomona quipped, "She stayed by his side the entire day." The others commiserated for the poor, hen-pecked middle-aged man.

* * *

_**Potter's Place…**_

Harry, Hermione and Neville were hanging out in Potter's Place a couple of days later, the topic was still about the events of the Faire. Harry was busy applying a metallic glaze to a vase while Hermione and Neville chattered at his side while sipping from mugs of tea.

"Gran was really impressed by how well run everything was," Neville commented as he ran his finger lightly around the rim of his mug. "She was also flabbergasted by the fact that I know how to cook at all and repeatedly stated that she was going to make our relatives and her friends eat their words that I was never going to be a good enough wizard." He said that last part with a pronounced sneer.

"Did she get to see your work within the greenhouses, Nev?" Harry inquired as he applied a deep royal blue tinted slip to the rim of the vase.

Neville nodded, "Yup. Professor Sprout told her that she's never had such a wonderful student than me and that if I were allowed to continue my efforts at home, I could easily become a professional Herbologist or even a professor at the school." Hermione clapped him on the shoulder in happiness.

Hermione gushed about her parents' reactions to the school and the magic she was able to perform. "That's one thing that is rather annoying about being a muggleborn, not being able to show my parents what I've been learning. I wish I could do this at home too."

Harry could commiserate with her, "I know. It's like Darlene's mother said in her quote in the Prophet that the laws governing when and where muggleborns are allowed to do magic outside of the school or places like Diagon Alley are outdated and prejudiced."

Neville shook his head in exasperation, "I don't understand them either and I was born and raised in the magical world. If you're a muggleborn and you let your parents or even grandparents see you perform magic, how can the ministry still knock you back since they've been aware of the existence of magic since the first time the child does something?"

Neither Harry nor Hermione had an answer to that. They were quiet for a few moments as they tried to process the inequalities and outdated practices of the magical world. Hermione finally spoke up, "So what about you, Harry? What was your relatives' experience like? Did they enjoy themselves?"

The dreamy look on Harry's face said it all, "I'm still in shock that my relatives were able to show up. They certainly surprised me. Wow…Aunt Petunia's told me how she'd always dreamed of being able to come here. I think we both got our wish; she got to see the castle and the magic performed while I got to share it with them. The look on Dudley's face when he got to fly on a broom! Hehe, I know what he's going to want for his birthday."

"What about your uncle? What impressed him about the school?" Neville asked.

Harry thought about it, "I think it was the food personally, though he did say that the demonstrations in Transfiguration were amazing. He's the Vice President of Sales at Grunnings Drills so he understands the manufacturing process. His insightful comments that he wished that they could incorporate what he described as 'magical engineering.' I think he intrigued Professor McGonagall; the two of them spent an awfully long time together discussing some examples that I could potentially assist with once I'm of legal age and of mind to help."

Hermione giggled, "I saw that. It was hilarious."

Neville looked curious at her statement so she elaborated, "Imagine a muggle being able to discuss in depth and at length practical and advanced transfiguration as it applied to a manufacturing setting. Being able to transfigure a tool or machine into something else without the need to rebuild or buy a whole new item would be a major boon to the industry."

"Wouldn't that hurt the part of the industry that makes the tool or machine?" Neville asked.

Hermione shrugged, "I'm not sure. I guess that unless you used a runic anchor to hold the transfiguration in place, you'd have a built in obsolescence where the transfigured part would revert back to its original shape after a set amount of time."

Harry snorted at Hermione's rather technical answer. She never failed to amaze him on how she got sorted into Hufflepuff as opposed to Ravenclaw.

In an effort to change the subject, Harry leant back in his chair and gestured with his paintbrush, "So…two more months until the end of the school year. Have either of you started planning out what you're going to do over the summer?"

Hermione immediately launched into what she and her parents had in mind, travel-wise. They were planning on touring the Spanish coast with the possibility of going to Italy to see Venice and Rome.

Harry got up to rummage around in one of the cabinets for an additive for the upcoming firing. Without turning, he commented that he and the Dursleys were planning on visiting a number of museums, the London markets and maybe even Alton Towers for a day.

"I teasingly suggested the zoo but after the last time, Aunt Petunia doesn't want to go anywhere near the place." He chuckled at the memory.

Neville looked curious, "Two questions. One, what happened and two, what's a zoo?"

"A zoo is a menagerie where the public is educated on the various animals that live within. Each animal enclosure is made to resemble their natural habitat as closely as possible." Hermione explained.

"As for what happened, it was the summer before I got my Letter." Harry began, "We were in the reptile house, Dudley and his friend were being their usual annoying selves and I inadvertently vanished the glass to the boa constrictor display. The snake started to escape but I managed to get it to stop when I yelled at it. At the time, I couldn't figure out _why_ it stopped but now that I know that I was speaking an actual language." He chuckled at the memory.

* * *

Harry was sitting in his Defense class busily taking notes and reminiscing about the past semester. '_Auror Tomlinson is pretty good and it's a shame that he's not going to be sticking around.' _ There was the sound of a knock on the class's door and when the professor called out for the person to enter, everyone looked up in surprise. A grey-robed Unspeakable strode in and pulled out a wand.

Not knowing _why_ he did it but Harry drew his own wand, pointed it at the Unspeakable and ducked behind his desk before yelling out, "Identify yourself and your reason for intruding!"

The Unspeakable's body language expressed a sense of humor even though the person hadn't said anything. Professor Tomlinson started laughing his head off whilst the rest of the class was stunned by the utter absurdity of Harry's words and actions.

"Stand down, Mr. Potter. Very good reaction though so I'm awarding you fifteen points."

Harry warily stood and moved out from behind the desk. He still hadn't put away his wand and slowly slid into his seat. Both the professor and the Unspeakable nodded in approval of Harry's behavior while the professor quietly admonished everyone else for being so lax. The Unspeakable began to wave his wand in a distinctive pattern and when a section of the wall above the door lit up in a bronze-ish glow, he or she approached and began to examine it minutely. After a few moments, the Unspeakable nodded briefly and sent off a glowing shape in the direction of the Great Hall.

Just then there was a deep rumbling noise and heavy vibration, almost like if you were standing too close to the railroad tracks as a train was rushing past. The stonework above the door glowed an angry bright red before a small section exploded outwards. The kids shrieked in shock and ducked under their desks. When the dust cleared, the wall appeared to be untouched other than a few new cracks and a layer of dust and debris on the floor.

Professor Tomlinson stood up, shook out his robes and turned to the Unspeakable, "What the bloody hell was _that_ about?"

"Taking care of an old problem, professor. It has been solved and dealt with." With that, the Unspeakable turned and left the room.

* * *

_**Up in Dumbledore's office…**_

Albus was sitting in his chair grumbling to himself as the Unspeakable team wandered through his school in an attempt to clear out the so-called 'Curse of the Defense Professorship.' Truth be told, he knew about the curse as well as all of its anchor points but refuse to discuss them with anyone else for one simple reason. He _wanted_ the quality of Defense professors to fall to their absolute lowest. If the sheep of the wizarding world couldn't defend themselves, they'd look to him to solve their problems and therefore allow him to push through bills and proposals as he saw fit.

However, the Unspeakable team had just shown up out of the blue and began investigating the school and its anchor points to root out and destroy said curse. It was infuriating that he had neither been consulted nor even asked to join the teams in searching the school. They had been treating him like some errant schoolboy who was constantly getting in the way of his superiors.

When the school rumbled and vibrated with the telltale markers of a curse being broken, he'd slumped back in his chair and let out a low groan of frustration. _'I bet this is another episode of meddling from Madam Bones! She has no right or excuse for interrupting the school's operations for something like this. After all, the school's being running just fine under my guidance since the late 50s.'_

He popped another one of his favorite lemon drops into his mouth and crossed his arms as he pouted sulphurously to himself. Just then his door opened and admitted to his office Minerva and a couple of Healers, none of whom he'd recognized.

Straightening up, he glared at his deputy, "Minerva? What is the meaning of this?"

Minerva merely stared back, "Albus, these Healers are here to give you a mental health check. You seem to be laboring under a number of delusions and I along with the entire staff are worried about you."

Albus started rising from his chair as he roared his disapproval about the apparent betrayal from one of his closest friends and coworker. The lead Healer merely pulled out her wand and stunned Albus. He barely had any warning so when the stunner hit, he flopped back down in the chair and slumped off to one side. The Healer team rushed forward and began a series of diagnostic charms.

Minerva sank into a guest's chair and looked pensive at the proceedings.

* * *

Thursday morning arrived and Harry got a letter that cheered him up tremendously. Director Bones had been keeping up a correspondence with him regarding the status of his godfather, Sirius Black and her push to get him a trial. Well, according to the letter he'd just received, Sirius' trial had happened the prior day and the man was found not guilty of all charges levied against him. She then went on to tell Harry that Sirius would be remanded to Saint Mungo's Hospital to begin rehabilitation. According to Director Bones, Sirius was in great spirits and looking forward to seeing Harry as soon as possible. Harry wrote back to Amelia thanking her for all of her efforts and that he too, were looking forward to seeing his godfather. In addition to that, he decided to compose a letter to Sirius to fill him in on some details and general knowledge about his life.

_Dear Sirius,_

_Well, first off I'm glad to hear that you finally got the trial and exoneration that you should've had ten years ago. Better late than never, eh? I'm writing this letter to give you a heads-up into what my life has been like since that Halloween night. First and foremost, I am happy with my aunt and uncle. When I got my Letter of Acceptance and made my way to Gringott's, I found my parents' Will and discovered that I should've never been placed into their care but things worked out okay. They do love me as one of their own and my cousin and I are like brothers._

_I grew up in a nice muggle town in Surrey and was a pretty good primary school student. Nothing extraordinary in school grades wise, though my artistic talents were encouraged by my teachers as well as my aunt and uncle. It even got to the point where my teachers encouraged my relatives to help me design and build my own pottery studio and kiln in their backyard. _

_I learned early on that I'm artistically inclined and therefore should live up to the name of Potter. I've made, given away and sold many different pottery and ceramic creations both at home and here at school. I can't wait to show you what I inadvertently started here at Hogwarts!_

_Speaking of Hogwarts, I'm finishing up my first year as a Hufflepuff. I'm sure you, like so many others whom are familiar with my family name, are wondering why I wanted to become a Puff? Simply put, Hufflepuff is the House of the artists. We are not 'duffers,' we are not lazy; what we are, are generalists. We are good with everything we put our minds to._

_I have made several friends here at school, some of which may be surprising. For example, I'm a good friend with a boy by the name of Draco Malfoy. He's told me some about how his family is related to the Black Family and through them, related to me. We met on the train in September and things just kind of grew from there. Looking back, I think the real reason why we got along so well is because I didn't end up in Gryffindor like my parents and you did. Had I gone there, it would've soured the beginnings of a friendship. (When we meet, remind me to tell you the story of how I introduced the game of Monopoly to the Malfoy family.)_

_I've made friends or at the very least acquaintances with the children of so-called 'Dark families' but they have known from the very start that I'm not interested in politics and 'social maneuvering' as Draco likes to call it. I mean, I'm only eleven! I'll have plenty of time to deal with that nonsense later in life. That and since the introduction of the Artists' Row, the animosity that used to exist between Houses is now nearly non-existent. _

_In addition to making friends with many others in Slytherin House, I have friends in the other two outside of my own. I even have a…well, somewhat girlfriend. We're kind of young for such a relationship, at least according to our Head of House, Professor Sprout but I really like her and I know she really likes me. We're practically inseparable though she does have her own friends that she likes to spend time with whenever we boys get to be too much for her own peace of mind. _

_My best friend in Gryffindor House is a boy named Neville Longbottom. He's a great friend and extremely knowledgeable about plants. He's kind of shy whenever he meets new people but once he warms up to them, his quiet and natural brilliance takes over. He doesn't talk a lot like most Gryffindors I've met but when he does say something, it's very insightful and thought provoking. He's got a gentle sense of humor though there have been times where he will pull a 'wicked left-hook' of a prank._

_That's another thing that I feel I'm different from my parents (and have been repeatedly told by the staff), is I don't normally pull pranks on those around me. I have pulled a couple of relatively minor ones but nothing to the level of what you and my father would pull (yes, Professor McGonagall has told me all about you, my dad, Remus Lupin and the traitor and how you formed the Marauders during your time in the school.)_

_I'm going to hold off on telling you just what kind of pranks I have pulled to date as that should give you the incentive to get better. I hope my aunt and uncle will allow me to visit you in the hospital (assuming it's alright with you) so I can tell you myself. _

_Please don't let yourself get overwhelmed by the survivor's guilt and know that I'm not upset that you ran off after the traitor. I understand your reason and the circumstances even though I totally believe that it was done at the wrong moment. We can discuss it when we meet up._

_See you soon godfather,_

_Harry_


	15. Chapter 14

**[A/N: We're winding up the year with this chapter. I figure there will only be one more chapter left to go before I end this year. I plan on finishing up one of my other story arcs after this so Year 2 will have to wait a while.]**

* * *

_**At Saint Mungo's Hospital…**_

Albus awoke just after mid-morning the day after the healers had visited him in his office and looked around in confusion. _'Where the blasted hell am I?'_ He slid out of bed and shuffled over to where the door was. He tried to open it but found it locked. He knocked on the door but no one answered. He turned and gazed around the room in which he was trapped and thought about this conundrum. _'Judging from the moving images on the wall, I'd have to say that this place is in Saint Mungo's but for the life of me, I have no idea why I'm here.'_ He spotted a cushioned armchair and sat down to continue to puzzle things out.

A while later, there was a quiet knocking on the door. He called out for the person to enter and was greeted by a green robed Healer.

"Ah, Mr. Dumbledore, I'm glad to see you awake and moving about. How are you feeling?"

"I'd be feeling a lot better if I weren't trapped in here and if you would tell me _why_ I'm here in the first place." Albus grumbled.

The healer briefly examined his notes and replied, "Well, you were brought here for a mental health examination that was many years overdue, for starters. Your coworkers were most distraught with your behavior as of late, especially in light of the recent events within the school."

Albus waved his hand dismissively, "Nonsense! There was nothing wrong with my school or with me. I want to leave so I can continue my work."

The healer shook his head slowly, "I'm sorry, Mr. Dumbledore but that just won't be possible. You were remanded to our care for a minimum of seventy-two hours to evaluate your condition."

That set Albus off and he began to rant about him being needed at the school to mold and shape his students to reach their destiny. In his agitation, he let slip that Harry Potter was crucial to the future of the wizarding world and that the boy must be tested to ensure that the fragment of Lord Voldemort's soul embedded in the boy's forehead wasn't influencing him in any way. With some subtle questions, the healer got the answers from Albus as to what it was he was referring to and what the ultimate outcome was supposed to be. The healer was flabbergasted and rather disgusted that Albus believed that young Harry Potter had to sacrifice himself for the 'Greater Good' so as to weaken the Dark Lord enough for Albus to step in and redeem Tom Riddle from the Dark.

* * *

In a calming voice, the healer asked who this 'Tom Riddle' was. The answer stunned him.

"Tom Riddle is the birth name of the Dark Lord. When you rearrange the letters of his full name, Tom Marvolo Riddle becomes 'I am Lord Voldemort.'"

Slowly nodding his head, the healer then asked Albus how long he'd known about this name change.

Albus sighed as he reminisced, "Oh, it's been quite a number of years, really. It seemed to amuse him to come up with such a play on his name though so I let him keep it."

"You _let_ him keep it?"

"Oh, yes. I've known that he was experimenting with his moniker since he was a fifth year student. I saw his efforts on the back of one his transfiguration notes."

"Why did you not inform anyone about this?"

Albus shrugged then yawned deeply, "It wasn't for anyone else to know. Only I am capable of seeing what is necessary and what's not. The rest of the sheep in the Wizengamot would've just bleated as they usually do and nothing would've resulted from that."

* * *

Subtly using his wand, the healer cast a calming and sleeping charm onto Albus and when the old man finally dozed off in his chair, the healer got up and left the room. After he closed and locked the door, he turned to find Amelia waiting for him.

"Madam Bones," he nodded to her, "I imagine that you're here to get my evaluation regarding Albus?"

She nodded once, "Yes, I know that your evaluation is probably not completed but can you give me something I could use against him?"

The healer sighed deeply, "He's suffering from a previously undiagnosed case of paranoid personality disorder. It becomes more evident when he's agitated as he was earlier. He seems to think that he alone is capable of guiding the magical world towards some amorphous concept of the 'Greater Good.' I'm sure I've heard that term before but at this moment I can't think of it."

"Anything else?"

"He was ranting about some sort of soul fragment embedded within Mr. Potter's forehead."

Amelia cleared her throat, "Yes, there _was_ a case about that but it was dealt with already. I can send you a copy of the paperwork if you wish."

The healer made a note of it in his stack and remarked that a more complete report would be available by the end of the week. The two shook hands and departed.

* * *

_**That Saturday…**_

Madam Poppy Pomfrey, Hogwarts' Mistress of Magical Medicine, or as she once overheard a couple of seventh years describe her, the 'foxy medi-witch in the Infirmary' leant back in her chair and rubbed her eyes. She'd just finished reading the completed report from Saint Mungo's regarding the mental health examination on Albus after his recent 'eruption.' The diagnosis wasn't good and if it went the way that she predicted, Hogwarts would be looking for a new headmaster soon.

There was a light tapping on her door and when she opened it, she was greeted with the sight of a concerned Minerva McGonagall. Poppy waved her friend to come in and shut the door behind her.

"Take a seat, Min. I have some bad news about Albus." She said wearily.

Minerva sank into her chair and pursed her lips before saying, "Give it to me straight, Poppy. What were the results?"

Poppy handed her the report and said that the mind healers diagnosed Albus with having a strong case of paranoia personality disorder. "When you look back on all his behaviors since before the last war, it becomes rather clear to see. I don't know how anyone could've missed it."

Minerva looked at the list of symptoms: 'Believing that others have hidden motives or are out to harm them,' 'being hypersensitive to criticism,' 'having trouble working with others,' 'being quick to become angry and hostile,' 'becoming detached or socially isolated,' 'being argumentative and defensive,' 'having trouble seeing their own problems,' 'having trouble relaxing.'

Nodding throughout, "Aye, he does seem to display quite a few of these."

"Plus, there's the behaving in a hostile or stubborn manner, not believing that their behavior is abnormal, that sort of thing," Poppy added sadly.

Minerva stared off into the distance before letting out a short chuckle; Poppy looked up in curiosity.

"This could also be used to describe Severus, you know."

Poppy laughed, "He does, doesn't he?"

* * *

Harry was in his trunk busily studying for an upcoming Herbology test and was again eternally grateful for whomever it was that gifted him with his traveler's trunk. Justin was upstairs in the dorm doing something that made noise and it was driving Harry crazy. There wasn't anywhere else that he really felt at ease to studying in either. Potter's Place had too many potential projects that always seemed to beckon him. The library was out too because of the potential for someone to come over to chat and whatnot.

Plus, he could laze around in his living room in just his shorts and not worry that someone would see. He'd just exited from his kitchen armed with a plate of orange wedges and a glass of water when he heard the sound of tapping coming from the stairwell. Putting the food and drink on the coffee table, he padded over and glanced up.

Hermione's beautiful brown eyes were looking back down at him. She perked up with a cute smile when she spotted him.

"What's up, Hermione?"

"Just came to see what you were up to."

"Doing a bit of studying for that Herbology test. Have you finished that already?"

She nodded, causing her hair to jiggle, "Yup. I was going to get started on my potion's notes."

Harry glanced back at his stack of homework and shrugged before turning back, "You want to grab your stuff and join me down here?"

Hermione chewed on her lower lip for a moment before agreeing and disappearing out the door. Harry went into his bedroom and pulled out a clean shirt and put it on before heading back to the living room just in time to see Hermione clambering down with her book bag.

They got set up and settled in for a nice study session. After about an hour, Harry got up and stretched before gathering up his empty plate and cup. While he was washing them out, he glanced over at his best female friend and wondered what it would be like to hold her hand while they were studying. _'I'm sure she wouldn't mind… I hope she wouldn't mind…'_ When he sat back down, he slowly reached over and took her right hand in his left.

Neither one said anything though Hermione did get a small smile on her face as she continued to read.

* * *

Harry pushed his luck once more in regards to holding Hermione's hand. He entwined his fingers with hers when they were sitting down to eat dinner that evening. _'She didn't pull away! That's good, right?' _He nervously glanced over at her and saw that she was sporting a happy smile so he smiled in return. Susan Bones noticed the interplay and giggled quietly. Neville came over and joined them before he noticed something going on. He glanced between the two of them then over at Susan who just grinned and shook her head. He shrugged it off and helped himself to a serving of roast beef.

* * *

It was approaching mid-May when Harry was called into Professor Sprout's office within the Hufflepuff Common Room. He knocked on the door nervously trying to think of what _possible_ reason there would be for being summoned.

When the door opened and he was bid to enter, he burst out with his question, "Professor? Is there something wrong?"

Pomona smiled and shook her head, "No, Mr. Potter. There's nothing wrong. I just thought I should be the first to tell you that in about an hour you will be receiving a visitor who is very anxious to meet you."

Harry's eyebrows beetled together as he tried to piece together just who it could be that wanted to meet him. Pomona watched the emotions play across his face before the looking of dawning excitement appeared. He looked at her in wide-eyed wonder and she nodded happily.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. Your godfather was practically bouncing in the floo this morning. He, along with another friend of your parents will be arriving here in just under an hour now."

Harry nearly swooned before pulling himself together, "Can you tell me what they're like?"

Pomona described Sirius Black as the school's previous champion of chaos along with Harry's father and their other friend, Remus Lupin, as the brains of their childhood group, who would also be accompanying Sirius.

Harry got a sneaky look on his face, "Prankster, eh? Hmmm, I wonder if Professor Snape would be willing to help out with a prank against them?"

Pomona grew concerned, "What are you planning, Mr. Potter? Nothing dangerous?"

Harry shook his head and waved his hand, "No, of course not. But I just had the sneaky idea to greet the two men with Professor Snape as my supposed 'guardian' and let them think that it was Professor Snape who'd been the one to raise me."

Pomona looked suspicious, "Didn't you write to your godfather and mention that you'd been put into Hufflepuff and that your aunt and uncle raised you?"

"I can say that I wrote that so Sirius' recovery wasn't hampered too much. Do you think Professor Snape would go for it?"

Pomona rolled her eyes in mild exasperation, "Probably. Let's find out, shall we?" She got up and activated the internal floo network. She threw in a pinch of powder and called for Severus' office. When the connection went through, she had Harry describe the prank he had in mind. The look of sincere shock morphed into manic glee as the dour-faced man immediately agreed to the impending chaos.

"Okay, professor. They should be here within an hour so I'll need to borrow a set of Slytherin robes from you to complete the ruse."

"Good idea, I'll meet you at the main entrance in thirty minutes." Severus pulled his head back and signed off.

* * *

_**An hour later…**_

Sirius Black, former convict of Azkaban and his lifetime friend, Remus Lupin made their way from the gates to the main doors. Sirius was practically bouncing from energetic glee.

"Come _on,_ Moony! Let's get a move on! I wanna see my godson." He whined.

Moony, aka Remus Lupin could only shake his head at his friend's exuberance. "He'll be there, Sirius. Calm down, will you?"

When the two men reached the main doors, they were greeted with a shock. Harry stood there along with Severus Snape! What made it worse was that Harry was wearing the House colors of the serpent…

Sirius slowed to a halt and shook his head in bewilderment. He nudged his friend and whined, "Moony? Is he… is he really wearing _Slytherin_ colors?" Remus could only look on in slack-jawed horror and dumbly nodded.

Harry stepped forward and in as serious a tone as he could muster, "Welcome godfather." He looked over at Remus, "And who might you be, sir?"

Remus' eyes narrowed briefly as his nose twitched. '_Something's not right here. That's the exact sort of manner of speaking his father would use when a prank was about to be executed.'_ He decided to play along to let this play out.

"I am Remus Lupin, Mr. Potter. I am a friend of Sirius Black here and was a close friend of your father and mother."

Harry bowed his head in recognition, "Then be welcome as well. Godfather? You don't seem to be holding up well. Was your treatment not concluded at Saint Mungo's?"

During all this, the look on Severus' face was priceless. He could barely restrain himself from laughing outright at the sight of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin from nearly having a brain aneurysm at the thought of Harry Potter being in Slytherin.

* * *

Sirius finally managed to get his mouth and brain synched up again, "Ha-Harry? In your letter to me, you stated that you were in Hufflepuff. Why are you wearing green?"

Harry harrumphed lightly and waved his hand dismissively, "I didn't want to worry you unnecessarily while you were still recovering. It was Professor Snape here, who recommended that I choose another House in my letter. He's been a _wonderful_ Head of House and magical guardian these past ten years."

Sirius dropped to his knees and howled in anguish at the thought that he'd truly failed his godson and that the last of the Potters was raised to be a snake.

Finally, Severus couldn't hold back the laughter anymore and let out a muffled snort. This set off Harry who also burst out giggling, "Wow, I thought my teeth were going to explode if I held that in any longer! Excellent job, professor." Harry shook the potions professor's hand as he took off the outer robe to expose his true House colors underneath.

Severus continued to laugh as he patted Harry on the shoulder, "That. Was. Epic! Truly worth all the years of torment they put me through to witness that. Fifty points to you, Mr. Potter. If you'll excuse me? I have papers to grade."

Sirius looked up with tormented eyes when Severus broke character and glanced at Remus in confusion. Remus in turn was shaking his head ruefully, "Padfoot, we just got pranked."

* * *

Harry led the two men to a conference room on the second floor and called for one of the elves, "Hey, Tully. Would you please bring us some tea and light snacks?" Tully nodded and popped away. The requested items appeared not a moment later.

Harry flopped down on one of the chairs and chuckled at Sirius who was still trying to wrap his head around the prank that his godson had just pulled. Remus leaned over and poured himself a cup of tea and winked at Harry.

"That was a wonderful prank, Prongslet."

Harry tilted his head in confusion, "Prongslet?"

"That was the nickname your father gave you when you were born. His Marauder's nickname was Prongs. Mine is Moony while Sirius here is known as Padfoot."

Harry still looked confused, "I'm sorry but I've never heard of the Marauders before."

"The Marauders were a group that your father, Remus and I founded when we were in school here. Our mission was to enliven up this dreary castle and its inhabitants." Sirius proclaimed proudly, "How is it that you've never heard of us?"

Harry shrugged, "It just never came up. I wrote you that I'd been raised by my aunt and uncle, right? Well, they only knew that the magical world existed. They had no clue beyond that what existed and what didn't."

Sirius slumped back in his seat, "Well, during our time here we were responsible I guess for pretty much all the mayhem that occurred. I wouldn't be surprised if half of the grey hair that Minnie has is the result from our…activities."

Harry thought for a moment, "You sound like an older version of the Weasley twins. They like to claim that they're the reigning champions of chaos here."

Remus snorted lightly, "I wouldn't be surprised if there was a current generation. Pranking and general mischief is almost expected in school. So besides what you pulled on us, what other pranks have you done?"

Harry smirked as he described some of the things that he'd gotten up to or was peripherally involved with. The remaining Marauders laughed themselves silly at the thought of Albus Dumbledore supposedly crapping his robes and not being able to move.

* * *

"Would you like to see where I've been living here in the castle?" The other two nodded so Harry escorted them downstairs to the Hufflepuff Common Room. When they entered, Harry pointed out that he was responsible for all of the newer planters and ceramic wall decorations.

"Really?" Sirius asked, "You made all of these?"

Harry looked back at him with a puzzled expression, "I'm a Potter. Who else would be this good at their namesake?"

"Can't fault you there, Harry." Remus commented as he examined one of the luminaries.

Harry led them into his dorm and pointed out a few other things, "Now, I don't know who it was that left me the trunk but whoever it was, I will be eternally grateful to." He opened it up and demonstrated the amazing capability it had by climbing down into it. Sirius and Remus followed him down and marveled at its size and quality.

"Not bad, Prongslet. Not bad at all. I take it that it's just you who uses this as a place to hide?" Remus commented. Harry nodded that it was just he.

"I do occasionally have friends come down and we'll have a small party without disturbing anyone."

* * *

Remus and Sirius stayed for a while and reminisced about the 'good old days' and told Harry many stories about his parents and what life was like in general. Harry in turn, told them about what life was like as a founding member of Artists' Row and one of the organizers for the recent Makers' Faire. He took the two of them out of the trunk and escorted them both to Potter's Place and explained the history of the structure and the resulting Arts program revival.

"The only person who's been against the whole thing is the headmaster. I don't know why other than it's possible that he's lost the plot somehow."

"Yeah, I noticed that he wasn't there at the entrance to greet us." Sirius commented as he scratched his chin.

"Well, I've heard a number of rumors regarding that but until it's announced at dinner, I'm inclined to believe that he's just busy." Harry shrugged unconcernedly.

As Sirius and Remus were getting ready to leave, Harry thanked them both for visiting.

"It was no problem, Harry. I'd been practically twitching to get out of the hospital for a couple of months now." Sirius commented, "Do you think that your aunt and uncle would have a problem if we visited some time?"

Harry thought about it and said it would probably be alright but he'd have to contact them first, "Keep in mind that they're kind of uncomfortable with the presence of magic. They acknowledge that it's real but to see things moving on their own kind of creeps them out."

* * *

The month of May swept past the school in a flurry of tests and class work, so much so that Harry barely had any time to get out to Potter's Place to finish out his projects and orders. So many things were also happening within the school and in the wider magical community.

Albus had been sacked as Headmaster of Hogwarts as a result of his mental health exam that formally diagnosed him with Paranoid Personality Disorder. His increasingly belligerent attitude towards others made it a near impossibility he could ever return to handle the stress of running a school let alone being the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot or the Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards. When he was told this, his anger was so great that Albus had to be sedated for his own safety as well as anyone else who were nearby.

Amelia had successfully made the case that Albus should have his magic bound and be transferred to a long-term care facility for the elderly. In an ironic twist of fate, Albus Dumbledore was sent to live amongst the muggles in a retirement care center. When asked why it was so ironic, Amelia would snort in laughter. It would eventually come out in the report given in court that Albus' ideas for the 'Greater Good' included the subjugation of the muggle world. He had written a letter to a then sixteen-year-old Gellert Grindlewald that outlined his beliefs that wizard dominance over the muggles for their own good must be handled carefully and that even though they'd been given power and the right to rule, it also gave them responsibilities over that power.

What changed was that as Albus got older and had to deal with the muggleborns and their families more often as a teacher then as deputy headmaster and finally headmaster; he came to the conclusion that the magical world was losing its grip of its dominance of power over the social advancements in the non-magical world and therefore something needed to be done. He subtly began proposing amendments and bills to the Wizengamot through intermediaries to restrict access to the magical world for those he deemed as 'too progressive.'

In addition, he began shaping the bloodlines of families as he saw fit by introducing the children in his school to the partners of his choice and influencing their decisions through Legilimency and subtle alchemical potions in their food and drink. When the Wizengamot found out about this, it caused a near panic amongst its members as they all began to wonder if their spouse truly loved them or if their marriage was the result of Albus' meddling. Saint Mungo's was flooded with requests to find out if there were any tests that could be taken to determine the validity of their inquiries. As of the end of June, there were no known tests that could be undergone but that their teams were working on it.


	16. Chapter 15

**[A/N: Well folks, this is it. The last chapter for this installment of Crafting Magic. I may continue with this story arc at a later time but for now I'll be starting the research phase for the next half of 'There Will Be No Foolish Wand Waving.' Many thanks to everyone who's stayed with me on this journey and to those who've left such heartwarming reviews!]**

* * *

It was the start of June and the school was in its usual rush to get in some last minute studies before the end of year exams. For the first years, this meant a fair amount of panicking, as they had no clue as to what was involved with such thing. The older years weren't always a good source of information, and nearly all the firsties knew to _never _ask the Weasley twins for advice.

Harry was holed up in his trunk as Justin's whining about his head threatening to explode from the information overload was driving him to distraction. He had all of his textbooks, notes and previous classwork assignments stacked up on the kitchen counter as well as the dining table. Hermione had assisted by drafting up some study charts, color-coded to boot, to help him with time management.

* * *

At the moment, he was nose deep in his transfiguration notes and idly twirling his wand. _'The basics of transfiguration is the study of changing one form to another…'_ He glanced up and quietly muttered the proper spell while he waved his wand over a glass sitting on the table next to him and changed it to a simple box shape, and then he changed it again to that of a glass rose before reverting it back to its base form.

_'Uncle Vernon was right; all transfiguration is, is magical engineering. Aunt Petunia too, was correct in that visualization is key. Keep in your mind's eye what it is that you want the starting object to look like and will your magic to effect the change.'_

About an hour later, his study schedule started to chime to remind him that studying transfiguration was complete and that it was time to move to Charms. He ditched one book for the other and delved into a much more interesting subject, in his opinion. _'If Transfiguration is magical engineering then Charms would have to be magical physics.'_

He practiced various wand movements and even experimented with performing them without saying anything. _'I wonder how small the movements have to be to get the same effect? Could I reduce the area in which I wave my wand to get the effect of let's say… the Levitation Charm?'_

He sat up and focused on the textbook; he aimed his wand and with a movement that could fit within the diameter of a sickle, cast _Wingardium Leviosa_. To his surprise and joy, the book rose up off the table's surface. He released the book and jumped for joy, dancing around the room at his success.

* * *

He met up with Neville and Hermione later for lunch in the Great Hall. Hermione could see that he was extraordinarily happy about something and nudged his shoulder to get his attention.

"What's gotten you so happy?"

Harry continued to bounce around in his seat, "Hmm? Oh, did you know that wand movements don't have to be the wide, sweeping gestures that we learned about in class?"

Hermione nodded while Neville shook his head so Harry explained to him what it was that he'd discovered and how it affected casting speed and accuracy.

"I wish there was somewhere we could practice casting." He looked about and spotted Professor Flitwick up at the Teacher's table eating his own lunch. He got up and approached the diminutive teacher.

"Sir? I was wondering if the school has a room set up to practice casting spells or dueling?"

Filius was pleased to answer Harry's question, "Indeed there is Mr. Potter." Then he frowned, "You weren't planning on dueling anyone, were you?"

Harry shook his head, "No, sir. I wanted to be able to practice my wand work as well as show Neville what I'd discovered about the area of effective wand movements."

Filius accepted that, "In that case, go to the Grand Staircase and go up to the second floor. Hang a left and follow the corridor until you reach a suit of armor that is roughly my height. The door to its left is the room you want."

Harry bowed his head in gratitude, "Thank you very much, professor."

* * *

After lunch, the three kids followed Professor Flitwick's instructions and found the Dueling Practice Room. Hermione was impressed by the room's qualities such as noise suppression as well as a storage cabinet that contained several different wands, books and a number of awards and trophies.

Harry guided Neville to the raised platform and walked him through the steps to cast in a smaller 'zone' that what was normally taught. After a while, Neville seemed to have gotten the hang of it so the two boys began dueling each other, sticking to simple charms and harmless transfigurations of surrounding materials. Neville had proven to be quite adept at using the terrain to build walls and other obstacles to hide and cast behind. Hermione eventually got involved and spent most of her time trying to tag Harry with a magical version of a paintball round.

"Harry! You're too quick for me! How in the world did you get so fast?"

Harry shrugged, "No idea, Hermione. I've always been fast on my feet."

"Just as long as you're not light on your feet," Neville quipped in jest. Hermione rolled her eyes while Harry snorted and chucked a transfigured pillow at him.

* * *

Later at dinner, Millie plopped down next to Harry as she held onto her portfolio. At Harry's questioning expression, she explained why she was there.

"A couple of reasons really. First, we haven't had much of a chance to just hang out anymore now that exam time is here. I've been curious as to what you've been up to. I'm surprised that Hermione isn't stressing out like she used to. Second, I had an idea for a decorative statue that could be made by we artists that I wanted to run by you." She handed over the portfolio, which was tagged to show the proper page.

Hermione growled ruefully about the last time she stressed out about the mid-term exams. 'Totally not my fault!' was heard by everyone nearby and caused some lighthearted laughter. Millie smirked at her friend and crinkled her nose, "Hermione, you practically stalked Professor Snape to pester him about what your grades were." Said girl merely rolled her eyes in exasperation and waved her hand dismissively.

Harry chuckled at the byplay between the two girls as he opened up the pad and examined the sketch, "Ah, I see what you've done here. Pretty neat idea to incorporate as many of our different trades to showcase the single idea. I'm not sure about using a clenched hand holding a hammer though; it makes it seem like a tribute to being a revolutionary."

"Isn't that what you started though? A revolution in the Arts?" Millie asked. Harry allowed for that with a shrug, a slow grunt and a tilted nod.

"I guess so. It just seems a bit… militaristic. I do like the general idea though. I'd say, develop this a bit more by sketching out a couple of other centerpieces as alternatives if the council doesn't like the first one."

Hermione leaned over the table to see what the entire hullabaloo was about. She nodded her agreement that the clenched hand and hammer was a bit much and better suited to a laborer's movement dedication.

"What's the theme of the sculpture, Millie?"

Millie kind of waggled her hand, "I dunno. I was thinking of this being a tribute to the play on words of us 'crafting magic.'"

Hermione smiled at that, "I like that. 'Crafting Magic,' It conjures the mental image of exactly what we do when we practice our art."

* * *

_**Back in May, at the muggle retirement home…**_

Albus awoke to a strange feeling. He could feel something was different but couldn't quite place it. He opened his eyes and saw that he was in an unfamiliar room and lying on an unfamiliar bed. The bed was comfortable but rather plain. The curtains were drawn shut but he could see a bit of light peeking through one corner. He could hear a soft, consistent beeping noise to his left. He turned his head and saw a box with a glowing screen but couldn't identify it. There were wires that led from the box to taped patches on his arms and chest.

He managed to pull them off without too much pain and got up. He found a robe and a pair of slippers, his mouth pulling down in a moue of distaste when he saw how plain and boring they were.

"Hmmph," he shrugged, "better than nothing until I can find my way back to the castle."

He found the door to the room was unlocked and eased his way into a rather Spartan hallway. There were pictures and the occasional portrait but none of them moved. He tried tapping on the portrait but still got no response. Albus glanced around and saw off in the distance there was someone sitting behind a desk and shuffled over.

"Ahem, excuse me…" he began.

The duty nurse looked up startled and her eyes grew large when she recognized who addressed her.

"Mr. White? What are you doing out of bed at this hour?" she asked incredulously, "As a matter of fact, I'm surprised that you're even lucid at all. Wait right here sir, I need to call the doctor." She guided him to a chair then reached for the phone.

Albus didn't have a clue as to why she referred to him as Mr. White but figured that maybe it was a code name to hide the fact that Albus Dumbledore was in Saint Mungo's and to keep the public from panicking. He noticed a magazine lying on the table next to him and picked it up to read while waiting for this…doctor?

* * *

_**Later that morning…**_

Albus was having a bad day. The day shift nurse glanced over to where Albus was sitting in the retirement home's activity room and grousing about how his chair wasn't his usual golden throne like he used to have in his castle.

"Poor Brian, imagine thinking that you're some sort of king only to wake up one day and find out it was all just a delusion."

The psychologist merely nodded as he perused Albus' case file. _'Poor guy, indeed. Psychotic delusions coupled with a unhealthy obsession with some boy named Harry Potter.'_

Albus was taking a nap just after lunch when the strangest dream came over him. He dreamt he used to live the high life as the Headmaster of a magical school in a castle but was now consigned to scratching a living in a modest hut. He couldn't think of a reason why he had to remain here. Sure, he had everything he needed to live comfortably but something was missing. He could vaguely remember that there was something he needed to do and a place he needed to be but the memory kept escaping him. He wandered through the rooms of this nice little building he found himself in, gazing at the pictures on the walls and listening to the chirping of the birds outside. A gentle breeze wavered in through an opened window bringing with it the heavenly scent of cherry blossoms. He ended up outside on the small porch and sat down in the rocking chair he had placed earlier and tried to remember…oh, well, it would come to him eventually.

* * *

_**Present time…**_

Albus let his eyes sweep across the room he was in. Despite the past month and a half to get himself used to his new surroundings since his awakening, he was still troubled by his thoughts and a general sense of uneasiness. His doctor said that this was a normal reaction to having been in a coma for the past ten years and would eventually subside. He wasn't sure about that. He would swear that he hadn't been unconscious and had been living in a castle in another land far to the north of here. He would swear that his name wasn't Brian White but was in fact, Albus Dumbledore.

At the moment though, he wasn't really disturbed. This facility was a pleasant sort of place. He was sitting here at a table with three other people waiting to get served breakfast. The food here was quite exceptional even though he did miss his lemon drops. The company was nice, the others residing here were able to hold a decent conversation even though the topics were confusing to him. There was a garden out back with a delightful fountain and benches that he would have to investigate more thoroughly when it warmed up.

He remembered back to his last therapy session with his therapist, Dr. Alan Hunter…

_"So, Mr. White? How are you feeling today?"_

"_Better. I daresay that after being in a coma, I'm well rested." Both men chuckled at that._

_Dr. Hunter had brought him up to speed slowly, going over things they had discussed before. Apparently, Albus' real name was Brian White, a retired Mechanical Engineering professor at the Royal Academy of Sciences in London for the past fifty years following a stint in Her Majesty's Army during World War Two. He had unfortunately lost his wife during the early part of the 1970s from the IRA bombings and began a slide towards senility culminating in his attack on a young family in 1981. During said attack, he had taken a blow to the head and fell into a coma._

Albus shook his head to clear his mind from the ruminations. He took a deep breath and let out a small sigh. He hoped that the family had recovered and didn't blame him too badly. He looked over at the scheduled activity posted on the bulletin board and wondered what movie night was. "The Wizard of Oz? I shall have to make myself available. Oh, look! Bridge in Clubroom three!" he mused.

* * *

**Astronomy Classroom**

Harry and the rest of the Hufflepuff first years were sitting in their Astronomy classroom taking the end of year test. He was confident that he'd pass with at least an Exceeds Expectations. He maintained a steady pace as he scribbled out his answer for number 43:

_'Who first taught that the Earth is stationary and at the center of the universe, with the sun, the moon, and the planets moving around the Earth in perfect circles?'_

He glanced over at the others to see how far along they were as well as their general reactions to the test. Hermione, as predicted, was nearly finished and just double checking her answers. Justin apparently was further behind but still working at a fairly steady pace. Susan was done and had handed in her test. She was busy reviewing her textbook for the upcoming Potions exam.

Harry nodded to himself, _'Hermione's study suggestions seemed to have worked. I'll have to congratulate her later.'_ He let out a sigh and moved onto the next question.

_'Name the system that Ptolemy developed for ancient astronomers.'_

* * *

**Potions Classroom**

Harry was busy chatting with Draco since they shared the classroom with the Slytherins this time. When Severus finally arrived, he quickly handed out the test papers and ordered everyone to begin. The questions were on the interactions between the ingredients that they'd used during the year and also touched on the history of the subject in general. The practical side involved brewing a cauldron of a Cure for Boils, which was their first potion they'd attempted back in September. This time however, parts of the instructions were missing and they had to figure out what had to be included.

Harry turned to his notes in a journal that he'd started at the suggestion of one of the prefects. He compared his notes to the instructions before him and filled in the missing ingredients and procedures before heading to the cupboard to pull the necessary materials.

* * *

**Charms Classroom**

Professor Flitwick was already in place and smiled pleasantly at the students as they filed into the classroom, "Now, don't worry everyone. I promise that your test will not be as difficult as some might believe."

He went on to prove just that. There was the obligatory written test but it only had a dozen questions on it, mostly on how to hold your wand and the patterns needed to achieve a specific spell. The practical was infinitely more enjoyable, the tiny professor had each student give examples of the _Lumos _charm along with several variants, _Wingardium Leviosa_; and finally he had them make a pineapple tap dance across a desk.

* * *

**Transfiguration Classroom**

Despite Professor McGonagall being elevated to Acting Headmistress until the Board of Directors made their decisions, she took the time to administer the exams for her students. Harry smirked as he blazed through the written questions and beamed when he managed to turn his mouse into a pretty snuffbox.

He waited around for the others and as they exited, asked them how well they thought they did.

"I think I did pretty well," Hermione commented, "Your tips on how to visualize what it is you want your magic to do really helped."

The others said pretty much the same thing.

* * *

The school took a break for lunch and while they were eating, the Great Hall was relatively quiet. Most everyone was busy reviewing their notes interspersed with the tinkling sounds of silverware and glassware on the tables.

Draco dropped into a chair next to Harry and groaned, "I'm not looking forward to our next test."

Harry looked up and swallowed what was in his mouth, "Why? Which class is it?"

"History of Magic." Harry rolled his eyes and groaned in sympathy.

"Ear plugs. Must remember to bring ear plugs."

The rest of the tests went pretty much as they expected. When it was all over, Harry immediately dashed out of the castle towards Potter's Place to do some much-needed mental decompression and create some sculptures he'd wanted to attempt.

* * *

The day before they were scheduled to head down to the station for the train ride home, everyone except for the fifth and seventh years received their grades. Harry got his slip from Pomona and smiled happily at his scores:

Pass Grades: (O) Outstanding, (E) Exceeds Expectations, (A) Acceptable

Fail Grades: (P) Poor, (D) Dreadful, (T) Troll

**Harry James Potter**, Hufflepuff, has achieved the following grades:

Astronomy: E

Charms: E

Defense: O

Herbology: O

History: A

Potions: O

Transfiguration: O

He glanced over inquiringly at Hermione and Neville who both beamed happily back. Hermione shared hers first and he saw that she'd achieved Outstandings in every subject. Neville had gotten Exceed Expectations for nearly all subjects except for Herbology where he scored an Outstanding.

Harry looked around the room and spotted Millie and Draco entering the Hall. He waved them over and said that the grades were being handed out now. The two Slytherins immediately sought out Severus and got their grade slips. They returned to where Harry was sitting and shared their grades with the Puffs.

"I think this has been a rather good showing for first year. Aside from the hassle of Dumbledore and his manipulations, I had fun."

"So what do you have planned for this summer, Harry?" Draco asked.

Motioning towards Neville, Harry mentioned that the two boys were going to hit up the Royal Conservatory and Gardens as well as whatever art galleries were open then if they had time, Harry was going to introduce the magically raised Neville to the joys of muggle entertainment.

"Yeah, like what?"

Harry shrugged, "The cinema, roller skating, spend the day at the local theme park and go on as many roller coasters before we get sick, that sort of thing."

Draco looked impressed despite not knowing half of the things that Harry had planned.

* * *

The Hogwarts Express steamed southbound with its carriages full of chattering and excited students. Everyone was busy exchanging contact information and finalizing plans for future activities. Harry handed Hermione his phone number and address and in return got hers and a kiss on the cheek. Both kids blushed madly but were inwardly pleased. Their relationship had solidified into something sweet without it being mushy.

When Harry exited from the magical barrier, he spotted the Dursleys waiting for him. Petunia spotted him and waved him over.

"Welcome home! I've missed you so much." She gave him a warm hug.

Dudley slugged him gently on the shoulder, "So how was it?"

Harry theatrically 'swooned,' "Have I got stories for you…"

**End of Year One**


End file.
